Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas says Yerry Mina would prefer to play for his side over Everton, claiming the promise of Champions League football gives them the edge over the Barcelona defender’s other suitors.
Mina had talks with Everton about a move to the Premier League but the 23-year-old said he would prefer to fight for his place at Camp Nou after only arriving from Palmeiras in January.
Aulas, however, is confident he can do a deal to bring the Colombia international to the Groupama Stadium.
Speaking ahead of his side’s pre-season friendly with Huddersfield, Aulas discussed transfer targets and told reporters: “I have in my mind one example where we are in a battle with Everton.
“If we think about the same player then he told me that he would prefer for us than playing for a club that doesn’t play the Champions League.”
Mina has made just five appearances for Barcelona but scored three goals in three appearances for Colombia at the World Cup.
“I think that there are players who do not want to play for, let’s say the team we play tomorrow, Huddersfield,” he said.
Everton have been in contact with Mina, according to the player’s agent, but the six foot five centre-back could still opt to stay at the Camp Nou.
Jair Mina said: “We wanted him to be in Barcelona, and it was not easy. It was the number one goal and he got it. He wants to succeed in the world of football and he must do it at a big club like Barcelona.
“I spoke with Ramon Planes [Eric Abidal’s assistant] and he told me to be calm, that he has a contract and that what arrives will be heard.
“Everton is a club that insists on the player, who has called us directly. There are other teams like Zenit, but we hope Barcelona will take the initiative. He wants to play and do it in Barcelona. For Yerry Mina it would be a failure not to play. He just wants to play.”
Barcelona are believed to be keen to sell a non-EU player, having signed Bordeaux winger Malcom this week. Yerry, a powerful defender, dominates the ball in the air and can bring it out well, but he’s not particularly fast. Neither on the ball or in anticipating. That’s not too strange, eg. Mats Hummels of Bayern is similar, to compare him to an excellent defender who can bring the ball out and has good vision and positioning. Perhaps he would be more comfortable in a defense of five.
The coach said that Mina “is without a pre-season to adapt” and “very young, with time he can get used to Barca’s style” after the defender had a calamitous match against Levante, leading the Catalans to lose 5-4, the only loss they suffered in the league last season. Effectively the coach knew that Mina was not ready to come straight in. It means the person or people who decided he was able to come in and replace Javier Mascherano – instead of signing Inigo Martinez – were to blame.