Arthur's Barcelona move could sent Yerry Mina out on loan

Bengaluru, March 15: Arthur's arrival at Barcelona from Gremio next summer is a cause of worry for Barca defender Yerry Mina as the Catalan club will have to off-load one of their four non-EU players signed in this transfer window. According to La Liga's transfer rules, a club can retain only three non-European Union players signed in a particular season for the next one. This season, the Catalans have procured Paulinho (Brazil), Philippe Coutinho (Brazil) and Yerry Mina (Colombia). Arthur's signing this month has pushed the count to four.

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Since Paulinho and Coutinho are indispensable for Ernesto Valverde's side at the moment, Mina will be the sacrificial goat. Barcelona are ready to loan him out to accommodate Arthur in their squad.

📹 | How can you hate Yerry Mina! pic.twitter.com/wqU7dRAyEN

— Barca Centre Media (@centrevid) March 7, 2018

Barcelona are also looking for a way around the rule. According to Sport's Lluis Miguelsanz, Barcelona have requested a Portuguese passport for Coutinho, which will grant him dual nationality, as his wife is from Portugal. This will deem Coutinho a European player, making him a part of European Union.

However, the passport is due to arrive only after January 2019, by which time Arthur would have already joined up with the squad. The only choice left for Barcelona is to loan out the player.

🐱 or 🐶?
🍕 or 🍔?
Over to you, Yerry Mina! pic.twitter.com/sEPfIn88aN

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 6, 2018

Rumours suggest that West Ham are already considering a loan move for Mina. The Hammers were interested in signing Mina in January, but his deal got through with Barcelona. West Ham will now have a second chance to sign the Colombian this summer but only on a loan move. Barcelona, however, won’t rush to sell off Mina as the club sees him as a long term replacement for Gerard Pique.