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In more ways than one, Yerry Mina was the biggest target on Everton's radar this summer but after finally winning their protracted race for the defender, he now remains the only one of Marco Silva's major signings from his first transfer window yet to make his debut for the club.

A promising bow from Andre Gomes – who sealed his loan move in Barcelona on deadline day alongside Mina who was making his permanent switch – in the 2-0 win over Crystal Palace leaves the Colombian as the last man standing when it comes to pulling on the royal blue jersey for real.

With captain Phil Jagielka now 36 and Ashley Williams sent out on loan to Stoke for the final year of his contract having not represented the club since he clotheslined Burnley's Ashley Barnes under the nose of the referee at Burnley in March, it was clear for new boss Silva that Everton needed new blood in the centre-back department this summer.

But after waiting the entire close season to beef up the heart of their backline, central defenders were like London buses for the Blues on transfer deadline day as Mina's long-awaited switch was quickly followed by a loan move for Chelsea's Kurt Zouma, completed at the 11 hour courtesy of the Premier League 'deal sheet' – 1980s methods of taking a photo with the clock turned back no longer cut it in the digital age.

A 6ft 5in man mountain of a stopper, Mina also proved his nuisance value at the other end of the park for Colombia in Russia – nodding in three goals throughout the tournament, including one past his now Goodison colleague Jordan Pickford of England.

(Image: YURI CORTEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

Rather than appear to be an infamous 'flavour of the month' World Cup purchase, Mina's acquisition was seen as something of a coup for Everton given not only had they prised him away from the Camp Nou after just half a season, he had also been linked with a move to Manchester United and Lyon, who could both offer him Champions League football.

As the Blues struggled defensively in their early matches – failing to keep a clean sheet in their first seven outings – an injured Mina seemed to become a better player with every game he missed.

However, an increased solidity at the back over the past month – Silva's side have conceded just one goal in their last three Premier League games – has lessened the clamour for the 24-year-old to be thrown in at the deep end in English football.

(Image: Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)

Only a week ago, the ECHO ran an article about which one of Michael Keane and Zouma should partner Mina now he was returning to fitness and while long-term that could remain the dilemma for Silva, at the moment the preference would seem to be to keep the faith with the incumbent pair who have struck up a promising fledgling partnership - what about that pass from Keane to set up Cenk Tosun for the second goal on Sunday by the way?

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Arriving at Goodison following stints at Turf Moor and the bet365 Stadium respectively, Keane and Zouma are currently more experienced with what is needed to tough it out in the Premier League.

On the flip side, Mina of course comes with the pedigree of having represented the Catalan giants but Keane was well-schooled at Manchester United while Zouma's parent club is Chelsea.

Given that as a native Spanish speaker he also faces a language barrier in one of the most crucial areas of the pitch for communication, Mina might well need to remain patient with the Blues now enjoying the luxury of being able to ease him into the action more gently than might have previously been expected.

(Image: Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)

With a trip to Old Trafford next on the horizon, might Silva – who showed he isn't shy of mixing things up with his changes to break down a stubborn Crystal Palace – be tempted into a tactical reshuffle and play all three of them at once?

While it's not a formation that has a history of much success for Everton, the Portuguese coach as utilised a trio of centre-backs before.

Last season when he played at home against Manchester United with Watford, Silva lined up 3-5-2 – although the experiment resulted in a 4-2 defeat.

It was the third of four consecutive matches that he used varying systems that included three centre-backs – turning to the approach after his side had thrown away a 2-0 lead at Goodison to lose 3-2 to caretaker boss' David Unsworth's team.

He began with a 3-4-2-1 that produced a 2-0 win at home to West Ham while it was 5-4-1 for a 3-0 success at Newcastle.

After Manchester United, Silva's run ended with a 3-4-2-1 for the 1-1 draw at home to Tottenham but after reverting to a flat back four for the 1-0 defeat at Burnley, he restored the three centre-backs for a final two-game sequence with 5-4-1 used for a 2-1 loss at Crystal Palace and a 4-1 drubbing at home to Huddersfield which understandably saw the ploy abandoned.

Could the Everton manager revive such an approach to try and spring a surprise against his compatriot Jose Mourinho?

It seems Mina's best chance of finally getting a game right now.