Aston Villa have once again set their sights on a move for Celta Vigo’s Óscar Minguezaplaceholder image
Aston Villa have once again set their sights on a move for Celta Vigo’s Óscar Mingueza | Getty Images
Aston Villa are pushing to strengthen their right-back options
Earlier this year, during the January transfer window, Birmingham World relayed reports of Villa’s interest in the 26-year-old, but in the end no move materialised, with the club instead making the move for Levante’s Andrés García along with a raft of attacking options such as Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford on loan along with Donyell Malen on a permanent deal.
Aston Villa’s failure to qualify for the Champions League along with their PSR struggles over the summer restricted their ability to operate in the transfer market. However, it’s now believed that Unai Emery is once again interested in trying to entice Mingueza to the West Midlands as he looks to add some much-needed competition for Matty Cash.
Who is Óscar Mingueza?
Mingueza is a four-time Spain international who currently plays in La Liga for Celta Vigo. Mingueza’s mainly plays right-back but has proven that he’s capable of performing at centre-back aswell. He came through the academy at Barcelona and spent 11 years with the club - rising through the iconic La Masia academy and learning his trade alongside Abel Ruiz, Iñaki Peña among others.
He captained the team to UEFA Youth League glory in 2018 and went on to play 66 matches for Barcelona, scoring twice and providing two assists.
Mingueza, who played in the 2021 Copa del Rey final triumph, fell down the pecking order at Barcelona in 2022 under Xavi, but has since re-established himself as one of La Liga’s best right-backs for Celta Vigo. He’s played 114 matches, scored seven times and made 12 assists. Last term was his best campaign to date with the club finishing seventh and his consistency over the course of the campaign earned him a place in the Athletic’s La Liga Team of the Season.
Could Aston Villa sign Óscar Mingueza in January?
Mingueza is in his final year of contract and is yet to agree a new long-term deal with Celta Vigo. Talks over the last few months have stalled, opening the door to a cut-price sale in January if the Pontevedra-based outfit are to avoid losing the player on a free transfer.
However, Aston Villa are not alone in their pursuit of the Spanish footballer, with the likes of Newcastle United and West Ham showing interest in the Premier League, alongside other clubs such as Como, AC Milan, Atalanta and Marseille elsewhere in Europe. AS state: ‘The Catalan player is very happy in Vigo but has some very attractive offers on the table.’
The paper doesn’t indicate whether Villa have tabled an offer at this point but claims that their interest in the player is far from finished.
Continue Reading