Barcelona have announced the arrival of Palmeiras defender Yerry Mina in a deal worth €11.8m (£10.4m).
The 23-year-old has put pen to paper on a five-and-a-half-year deal until 2023 with a release clause of €100m (£88.6m).
Barcelona had first right of refusal on the 23-year-old but they were expected to wait until the summer before bringing the Colombia international to the Camp Nou.
However, Ernesto Valverde has made signing a new centre-back a priority since he became Barcelona manager and the La Liga giants have accelerated their deal with Palmeiras.
Mina’s arrival will also speed up Javier Mascherano’s departure as the veteran defender is expected to complete a move to the Chinese Super League after dropping down the pecking order this season.
No defender averaged more passes per game in last season’s Brasileirao than Mina (60.6).
