Barcelona transfer news: Ernesto Valverde's side agree £10.1m deal with Palmeiras for Yerry Mina
Mina is expected to sign a four-and-a-half year deal with the Spanish giants, reportedly worth €70,000-a-week.
Barcelona have reportedly agreed a deal with Brazilian club Palmeiras to sign their star defender Yerry Mina in the January transfer window.
According to Spanish publication Sport, the central defender will be the Catalan club's player in the "coming hours" after the two clubs managed to reach an agreement. The La Liga leaders will pay a fee of around €11.5m (£10.1m, $13.7m) in securing Mina's services.
Ernesto Valverde's side have been monitoring the Colombian international for a while now. They even had the option to land him in the next summer transfer window for €9m. However, Barcelona have decided to act fast and are ready to pay €2.5m more to bring him to Camp Nou in January.
Palmeiras sporting director Alexandre Mattos had confirmed earlier on Thursday, 4 January, that the Spanish giants had submitted their proposal for Mina.
"It's true that Barcelona have come after Mina. It's true they are offering more money [to bring the deal forward to January], but it's also true that Palmeiras are not interested," Mattos had explained during a press conference.
He further added that Mina was also keen on leaving South America and completing a move to Europe. The Brazilian club's sporting director had said, "I spoke with Mina, who says he has big dreams and that now is the time to leave.
"Now that we know his desire, it's time to reach an agreement with Barcelona. If they come to us with the figure we have asked for, Mina will go. If not, he'll stay at Palmeiras."
Meanwhile, Barcelona completed the signing of Philippe Coutinho for a club-record fee of £142m from Liverpool. The club's president Josep Maria Bartomeu explained that the Brazil international's "willingness" to join the Blaugrana was decisive in completing the deal.
Mina has probably taken a cue from Coutinho and the defender's desire to join Barcelona has also played a major role in helping him complete his transfer to Camp Nou. Sport reported that the centre-half will arrive in Catalunia on Tuesday, 9 January, and could be presented in front of the fans a day later if all the formalities are completed.
Mina will become Barcelona's second summer addition after they completed the signing of Coutinho. He will sign a four-and-a-half year deal with Valverde's side, which will keep him at the club until 2022.
