{"id":7808,"date":"2026-04-23T13:11:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T13:11:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=7808"},"modified":"2026-04-23T13:11:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T13:11:09","slug":"arsenal-handed-major-transfer-boost-in-race-to-sign-spain-international-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=7808","title":{"rendered":"Arsenal handed major transfer boost in race to sign Spain international | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Arsenal are interested in signing Oscar Mingueza on a free transfer (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Celta Vigo boss Claudio Giraldez has given Arsenal hope of signing Oscar Mingueza on a free transfer, admitting it will be \u2018difficult\u2019 for the club to keep hold of the defender this summer.<\/p>\n

Arsenal bolstered their defensive options with the addition of\u00a0Cristhian Mosquera\u00a0and\u00a0Piero Hincapie\u00a0last summer, with the latter\u2019s loan deal set to become permanent at the end of the season.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Gunners are keen to further strengthen at the back, though, and a shortlist of potential targets is being drawn up in preparation for the possible departure of both Ben White and\u00a0Myles Lewis-Skelly.<\/p>\n

White has become a periphery figure in Mikel Arteta\u2019s squad as a result of\u00a0Jurrien Timber\u2019s outstanding form at right-back, while the prominence of\u00a0Gabriel Magalhaes\u00a0and William Saliba means there is little chance of the England international staking a claim at centre-half.<\/p>\n

Lewis-Skelly, meanwhile, has been leapfrogged by Riccardo Calafiori in the pecking order and\u00a0the young left-back-cum-midfielder is reportedly attracting strong interest from Manchester United, just a year on from his extraordinary breakout season at the Emirates.<\/p>\n

A report from The Telegraph earlier this month claimed Celta Vigo\u2019s Mingueza had emerged as a possible solution if White were make to his way towards the exit door at Arsenal.<\/p>\n

Comfortable at right-back, centre-back and left-back, Mingueza\u2019s profile has been identified as similar to that of White and his versatility stands out as a major plus point for the Gunners.<\/p>\n

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Mingueza\u2019s contract with Celta Vigo is due to expire in the summer (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The Spaniard has been identified as a possible replacement for White (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mingueza\u2019s current contract with Celta Vigo is due to expire in June and talks over a proposed extension have so far come to nothing, with both Aston Villa and Fulham also credited with an interest.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s a fantastic player. He has a tremendous personality,\u2019 Celta head coach Giraldez told SPORT when discussing Mingueza\u2019s qualities.<\/p>\n

\u2018I hope he can stay. But we know it will be difficult to keep him.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018I hope he can have a great career because he still has a lot of room for improvement. I like him a lot.\u2019<\/p>\n

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Mingueza, a product of Barcelona\u2019s La Masia academy, has been capped four times by Spain and was a part of Luis de la Fuente\u2019s team that lost to Portugal in last year\u2019s Nations League final.<\/p>\n

He also played a key role in Spain\u2019s side that clinched a silver medal at the Summer Olympics in Japan back in 2020.<\/p>\n

While Celta are yet to give up hope of coaxing Mingueza into an extension, there is a growing acceptance that the defender will likely be on the move, with contract discussions seemingly at an impasse.<\/p>\n

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Mingueza left boyhood team Barca to join Celta Vigo four years ago (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As a youngster, Mingueza had been tipped as a possible first-team star at the Camp Nou, having joined Barca\u2019s academy at the age of just eight.<\/p>\n

However, the defender struggled for regular game-time under Xavi, citing a frosty relationship with the manager as a possible reason for his stagnation.<\/p>\n

\u2018When Xavi arrived, we didn\u2019t click well. He must not have liked me or something,\u2019 he explained in an interview with Esport3 in 2024.<\/p>\n

\u2018I didn\u2019t have the best mentality in the world either, and that\u2019s why I left Barca, to try to regain my motivation and to enjoy myself.\u2019<\/p>\n

But Mingueza has proven himself to be a force to be reckoned with at Celta Vigo, making 140 appearances in all competitions for the club, and there will be no shortage of potential suitors should he become available as a free agent this summer.<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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