Monday Musing: Godspeed, Yerry Mina

If Yerry Mina stays fit, he will be a superb signing for Fiorentina.

Yerry Mina has a new club.

Mina’s five years at Everton were plagued by injuries. If he had been able to stay fit, he would surely have been offered a new contract. Indeed, had he been able to stay fit, he would probably have left Everton for bigger and better things some time ago.

As it is, just over two months after playing his final game for Everton — and turning in a colossal display in the Toffees’ survival-clinching win over Bournemouth — Mina has signed for Fiorentina, still one of Serie A’s most famous clubs, on a one-year deal.

At 28, Mina should be getting his last big contract, but in this case, the Colombia international is vying to prove he can meet the conditions, which will almost certainly be appearance-based, that will add a further year to his deal. It goes to show the extent Mina, who ultimately played fewer than 100 times for Everton between 2018 and 2023, has been hindered by niggles over the course of his career.

But one thing is certain. If he stays fit, Mina could prove to be one hell of a signing for Fiorentina, and arguably one of Serie A’s best defenders.

Yerry Mina was crucial to Everton’s survival (Credit: Instagram - @yerrymina)

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Those familiar with the FIFA — now EA Sports FC — video games, will be aware that players are given an overall rating between 1-100; the higher the number, the better the player.

It’s a simple idea, and one that often reflects ‘real life’. Kylian Mbappe; Lionel Messi; Erling Haaland. They will all be ranked among the game’s best players, because of course they are among the very best players in world football.

Yet, the ranking of these players often brings about some rather laughable ratings. That is certainly the case for Mina, who as of the end of last season on FIFA 23, received just a 76 overall rating from the ‘scouts’ who claim to watch football week-in, week-out.

Sure, this is a game, and these ratings are subjective, but when Michael Keane is ranked higher (77 OVR), you start to get the idea that these video game scouts are perhaps not the ones best suited to be dishing out these ratings.