Former Barcelona star Edmilson backs Yerry Mina to succeed in La Liga amid comparisons with Lucio

Former Barcelona star Edmilson has backed Yerry Mina to be a success at the Nou Camp amid reports in Spain claiming that the defender transfer to the La Liga giants should be sealed in the coming hours.

Mina has garnered a big reputation at Palmeiras but there have been some doubts in Spain about how the 23-year-old centre-back will adapt to the European football if he finally completes his proposed move to the Nou Camp.

It was said that that even Barcelona themselves wanted to delay his arrival until the summer due to those concerns.

However, the club had been force to rethink their plans and bring the deal forward to January to replace Hebei China Fortune bound Javier Mascherano.

Reports in Spain since last week have been claiming that his move to the Nou Camp is only a matter of hours with the Colombia international having already agreed a personal terms to sign a deal worth €3.7m a season – equivalent to €70,000 a week.

Mundo Deportivo says that the clubs are also finalising the last terms of a €12.4m deal with hopes Mina could travel to Spain in the coming hours and be unveiled as a new Barcelona player on Thursday [11 January].

Edmilson made a similar move to Barcelona from Lyon in 2004 before becoming a hit at the Nou Camp, helping the Catalans to win the Champions League and two Liga titles.

The Brazilian is now one of the many Barcelona ambassadors around the world and has backed Mina to make a good impact at the Nou Camp after likening him with Lucio.

"I have seen him play a lot, especially last season. He is a player who impressed everyone [in Brazil] because how he shapes the ball from the back. He has similarities to Lucio. He likes to go forward. This season he has had bad luck with some injuries. I think that is a guy who will adapt well to the needs of Barcelona. He has that quality of giving good passes from the back," Edmilson said to Sport.

"I think he has speed and stature. He is fast. He may struggle a bit at the beginning because Barça plays with a very advanced defence, just the opposite of the Brazilian outfits. He is a centre-back with personality. He will give joy in the dressing room, he likes to dance. Colombians like joking. He has character but it is important for him to be patient if he does not manage to be important in the first months [at Barcelona]."

If Mina completes his move to the Nou Camp he would become Ernesto Valverde's second signing of the January transfer window following the club record arrival of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool.