Everton defender Yerry Mina could still leave Goodison Park in the summer despite his excellent performance in the Toffees' victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, according to journalist Paul Brown.
What's the latest news involving Yerry Mina?
On Monday, Mina returned from the cold to make his first appearance under Everton boss Sean Dyche against Brighton and helped his side to record an unexpected 5-1 win to boost their Premier League survival prospects, as per BBC Sport.
Despite not featuring at all since January, Mina earned a match rating of 8/10 for his performance, as well as some impressive stats from SofaScore, winning five aerial duels and maintaining a pass accuracy of 94% across the encounter, proving to be a reliable presence at the heart of the Everton backline.
Mina is out of contract in the summer at Goodison Park and earns around £120,000 per week on the books of his current employers, as per Capology.
Colombian journalist Pipe Sierra has claimed that the 28-year-old could leave the Toffees in the off-season, stating on Twitter: "Yerry Mina (28) will not continue in Everton. From the club there was no effort to renew his contract that ends in June of this year. The defender is already listening to offers from other leagues. In principle, the Colombian's desire is to continue in Europe; despite other interest."
Everton boss Dyche commented on his decision to select Mina when talking to BT Sport via Liverpool World, saying: “It was a tough decision because the lads have given a lot and Yerry Mina has given a lot – in training and he's been champing at the bit, waiting for his chance. I stand by all the players. Sometimes you've got to make these decisions.”
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Brown still thinks that Mina could depart Everton this summer despite his display against Brighton.
Brown told FFC: "I don't think we should overestimate what Yerry Mina did in the game. He played well and will probably keep his place now. It's hard to see him not, but I think his future is still in doubt at Everton. Whatever he may say in public over the next few weeks, he's going to be 29 soon. He only started 11 games last season and he's been out of favour for much of this one, his contract is running down."
Is Yerry Mina worthy of a contract extension at Everton?
It's a difficult situation to weigh up for Dyche looking ahead to next term. On one hand, Mina is usually a solid performer when on the pitch for Everton and has become a favourite among supporters due to his defensive resilience.
Nevertheless, the Colombia international has featured only 19 times in total over 2021/22 and 2022/23 combined, as regular injury problems have curtailed his chances of being a frequent starter for the Toffees.
His £120k-a-week pay packet is also a tricky factor to evaluate when deciding whether to offer Mina new terms at Goodison Park. Of course, he is a talented asset. However, can Dyche really gamble on granting the 28-year-old an extension on similar wages given his injury history?
Either way, Mina and his manager Dyche will be fully focused on the task at hand for the remainder of this season as they look to keep Everton afloat in the Premier League.