Man City hoping to oust Barcelona again in chase for Palmeiras star

Manchester City could be set to beat Barcelona to the signature of Palmeiras’ highly-rated defender Yerry Mina.

The Catalan giants have a first-option on the Colombian centre-half – believed to be worth around about £8.5m for the Spanish side – but Pep Guardiola has been linked with a move this week.

City would need to pay inflated £27m, but they have got previous success in usurping Barcelona.

Gabriel Jesus was another Palmeiras ace courted by the two clubs, but despite the La Liga outfit again holding first-dibs, it was City who prevailed by agreeing a deal in the summer.

Mina has shone for the Brazilian outfit this year since joining from Sante Fe, and his performances have also seen the 22-year-old break into the Colombia national team.

Having already signed John Stones from Everton for £50m in the summer, Mina could be the latest piece in Guardiola’s defensive puzzle.

With Vincent Kompany failing to recapture the form of old, and the jury still very much out on Eliaqium Mangala and Nicholas Otamendi, the Citizens boss appears to be seeking another defensive star of the future.

City’s defensive concerns weren’t evident at the weekend in the 4-0 hammering of West Brom, and Guardiola now turns his attention to European duties.

They’re rivals in the transfer market, and on Tuesday City and Barcelona will be rivals on the pitch too.

Having thumped the Premier League outfit 4-0 last week, the Sky Blues are 9/5 to exact revenge with three crucial points.

Lionel Messi and co are 6/4 to enhance Guardiola’s desire for a new defender with a win at the Etihad.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing