Carlo Ancelotti must boot Yerry Mina out of Goodison Park amid rumours that Valencia are keen to sign the Everton defender this summer.
What’s the word?
According to Football Insider, Valencia are plotting a raid on Merseyside for Mina’s services in the off-season as they look to sure up Javi Gracia’s backline.
Mina’s future in royal blue has been thrown into doubt after Ancelotti set his sights on signing a world-class centre-back, feeling that his current options lack the ability to play together.
Should Everton let Mina join Valencia?
Yes, he’s got to go
No, he should stay
The Toffees head coach is further noted to have private concerns over Mina’s ability, as he allegedly feels that the 6 ft 4 enforcer is too erratic and error-prone despite liking his physicality.
Mina has often been touted as a potential makeweight in efforts to strengthen Ancelotti’s defence, with claims that the Colombian could be sold for around £20m as Everton have accepted they will have to take a hit on the £27.2m paid to FC Barcelona in 2018.
Valencia may emerge as Mina’s best suitor, as the Mestalla natives are said to be showing a keen interest in taking the 26-year-old back to La Liga, with Gracia’s side set to be without European football next season.
Los Murcielagos currently sit in the bottom half of the Spanish top flight and trail Real Betis for the final Europa League play-off spot by 13 points with nine games to play, ahead of hosting fifth-placed Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Mina has also been linked with a move to the Serie A and has put Inter Milan and Fiorentina on alert, as a spell in Italy is seen to be an attractive proposition for the 26-cap international who Valencia had chased for £15m last year.
Should Everton let Mina join Valencia?
It remains to be seen what sort of offer Valencia can produce for Mina, but it is unlikely that the La Liga side will be able to improve on their bid from last year as they are in a desperate state of affairs financially and are expected to be selling players on the cheap this summer.
Everton must look to move Mina on in the off-season to help fund Ancelotti’s mission to sign a world-class upgrade at centre-back, so will have to listen to what Los Murcielagos have to offer if interest from Serie A does not materialise first.
Ancelotti’s supposed concerns over Mina being too error-prone will ensure that he does not occupy a key role at Goodison Park next season if a suitor cannot be found, which would not be financially acceptable for Everton.
Mina is the joint top-earner at Goodison Park with Bernard on £120,000-per-week deals, per Spotrac figures, which is far too much to pay for a backup player, especially when Napoli are expected to demand €50m (£43.5m) to sell Ancelotti’s alleged top target Kalidou Koulibaly.
His deal plus the £27.2m paid to Barcelona means that Mina has also currently cost Blues owner Farhad Moshiri £675,000 for each start he has made for Everton, having earned £16.7m in wages over his 139 weeks on Merseyside so far.
Across his Everton career, Mina has started 65 of his 73 appearances in all competitions, in which the Toffees have kept just 16 clean sheets – 13 in the Premier League – equating to £2.7m for each defensive shut out.
Mina’s arrival was a costly outlay for Everton which has not returned the desired rewards, and the funds being flushed away must stop this summer if Ancelotti has designs on signing an upgrade.
AND in other news, Everton have landed a huge boost in the race to sign an 11-goal striker subject to a potential £21.5m bid…
