Yerry Mina will join Barcelona after the World Cup next summer, January move ruled out

Yerry Mina will be Barcelona's first signing ahead of the 2018/19 season after Palmeiras sporting director revealed that he will join the Catalans after the World Cup in Russia next year.

The two clubs have an agreement in place for the transfer of the Colombian defender with Spanish publication Marca reporting it to be around €9m (£8.2m). The defender is currently sidelined with an injury, but is expected to return shortly and resume his campaign with Palmeiras.

Barcelona were said to be exploring the option of bringing Mina to the Camp Nou during the January transfer window, but the Brazilian club's sporting director Alexandre Mattos is said to have confirmed during an interview with Brazilian publication Globoesporte that the defender will only join next summer following the World Cup.

The 22-year-old's agent had confirmed earlier in the summer that his client will join Barcelona in 2018 and the club's sporting director has now confirmed the deal. According to Sport, Mattos traveled to Barcelona earlier in the month and met the La Liga outfit's hierarchy including the Spanish club's general manager Pep Segura to discuss the future of Mina. The report claims that during the meeting it was decided that the La Liga club will not sign him in January, but wait until next year.

"Yes, his arrival is scheduled for 2018," he said, as quoted on AS. "For the moment he'll stay in Brazil, and then he will go to La Liga. Everything is practically closed and his dream has always been to be a Barcelona player."

Mina joined Palmeiras last season from Independiente Santa Fe in his homeland and has a contract until 2020. He played a key role in helping his current employers land the Brazilian Serie A title making 18 appearances at centre-back across all competitions and contributing with four goals.The defender, who is currently out injured, is expected to return to action this month.