Why Liverpool must avoid signing Yerry Mina on loan despite his World Cup excellence
Liverpool enjoyed a blistering start to the summer transfer window. They struck a deal for Brazilian midfielder Fabinho and Naby Keita has finally completed his move to Anfield.
The cadence of rumour mills seems to be unending, however, with reports linking Liverpool with an interest in Yerry Mina. The Barcelona centre-back has played a huge role in Colombia’s successes in Russia for the ongoing World Cup.
Mina, 23, joined Barcelona from Brazilian heavyweights Palmeiras in January, signing a contract that includes a €100million buyout clause. But he was not handed adequate game time to flourish and as per reports from Spanish outlets, Liverpool are willing to sign him on loan for the upcoming campaign.
His World Cup form appears to have refuelled their interest but do Liverpool need him?
As of now, the Reds already have enough first-team centre-backs. In fact, since the winter window, Liverpool’s backline has improved to a great extent. The arrival of Virgil van Dijk has uplifted their performances at the back. In fact, his presence has also worked wonders for Dejan Lovren who was heavily criticized for his erroneous outings.
Meanwhile, the likes of Joel Matip, Joe Gomez and Ragnar Klavan are available as backup options for van Dijk and Lovren. Instead of signing yet another centre-back, Liverpool should prioritize signing a top-notch custodian this summer.
Looking at the larger picture, a loan move for Mina will only help Barcelona’s cause. Before plying his trade regularly for the Catalan giants, Mina requires experience of the highest order. Regardless of what happens, his hefty buyout clause will prevent Liverpool from signing him permanently.
Furthermore, offering him game time in new surroundings will always be a great risk. Loan deals at Anfield have not worked out in recent years and the Merseysiders are not in a position to experiment and try out new defensive combinations.
They must fight to become a solid title contender next season after years of misfortune. To do so, the Reds should stick to a tried-and-tested combination and ignore Mina for the time being.