Everton have paved the way for Leeds United to re-sign Matthew Pennington by agreeing a deal for Barcelona defender Yerry Mina, according to reports.
Spanish outlet ES Sport claim the Premier League big guns have agreed a £28.4million fee for the Colombia international and he is in line to sign a five-year contract by the end of today (Monday) after settling personal terms.
The Liverpool Echo report the arrival of a new centre-back at Goodison Park opens the door for Pennington, 23, to leave on loan, with Leeds and Wigan his main suitors.
Good move for Leeds?
The jury is still out on Pennington. Sure, he has risen through the Everton ranks and is highly rated enough to have been handed a three-year contract in May. But he had an average season on loan at Elland Road last season, when he was third choice to Pontus Jansson and Liam Cooper. Nevertheless, United are crying out for another senior centre-back despite their convincing 3-1 opening-day win over Stoke City yesterday, with major doubts over Gaetano Berardi’s ability to be anything other than a back-up option. Pennington has the height – he is 6ft 1in according to Transfermarkt) – strength, mobility and technical quality to push Liam Cooper strongly for the position of Jansson’s regular partner. But he must avoid the niggling injuries that have cast a shadow over this career to date.
This is Futbol rating: 6/10
Likely to happen?
It is not a done deal yet for Leeds, but Everton are closing in on Mina and their breakthrough paves the way for Pennington to go out on loan again. Can United beat off interest from Wigan to land the versatile defender? That certainly is likely, as it has been reported that the player would prefer to go to Elland Road after enjoying his spell there last season.
This is Futbol rating: 8/10