Amid transfer speculation linking Aston Villa with a move for Celta Vigo’s Oscar Mingueza, could the Spaniard help fix a key concern in the current squad?
The right-back position has proven to be problematic for Villa in recent times, as despite Matty Cash’s presence as the first-choice option in that role, he has had his fair share of injury setbacks and hasn’t always convinced in terms of adapting to Unai Emery’s preferred way of playing and demands.
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Cash brings energy, work ethic and tenacity to the position and he is undoubtedly an important part of the Villa squad, but it can be argued that over a significant period of time now, he has fallen short of entirely convincing that he is the long-term option for us if we want to continue to compete at the highest level.
Perhaps the bigger issue for others though is that we simply don’t have the quality depth and competition at right-back to cover his absence, as it often leads to Ezri Konsa having to shift across to fill that void. Although the Villa stalwart is versatile and talented enough to do it, he doesn’t look as comfortable or effective, and we lose a balance and solidity to the backline, which makes playing Konsa in the middle imperative.
Given their lack of playing time this season even when Cash has been sidelined, it doesn’t appear as though Emery feels either Kosta Nedeljkovic or Lamare Bogarde are ready to step up, and while that young duo would likely benefit from loan moves elsewhere in the meantime to gain valuable experience and develop their respective games, Villa could now move for a reinforcement.
According to Relevo’s Matteo Moretto, Villa are keen on signing Mingueza who has emerged as our preferred target as we assess the market for right-backs, and so it remains to be seen if a deal can be done for the 25-year-old in the January transfer window.
A product of the Barcelona youth system, Mingueza joined Celta in 2022, and he has since gone on to make 82 appearances for the club, scoring four goals and providing eight assists in those outings to go with his defensive work.
As seen in the video below, the Spanish international is a threat going forward, as he has the athleticism, speed and agility to go with his technical ability to not only provide width and stretch the pitch, but contribute to the build-up of play out from the back and to add a threat and dynamic in advanced areas.
His tallies show he can provide a goal threat in the final third, and with his recovery pace and athleticism, he has the ability to be a solid defensive presence. That side of his game is the weak point to an extent as he still has room for improvement in his defensive work, but much also depends on the system and how he gels with those around him, as together with Konsa on the right side of our defence, the pair could be a strong combination.
Of those talents though, it’s his ability to be comfortable and composed in possession to build play which could be a fundamental factor in why he is a priority target. Emery and his coaching staff will work on other areas of his game to get him up to the standard required, and the same could be said of his physicality and strength. However, when Villa are forced wide by teams looking to frustrate us and block our passing lanes through the middle, we often don’t have enough quality in the full-back positions to find a different way to break them down, and so this could be a solution for that.
Mingueza also boasts the versatility to play as a centre-half or on the opposite side as well as in a more advanced role on the right flank, and so that will be another important strength which convinces Emery and Villa that he is the most suitable option for us out of the targets that we’re assessing.
Time will tell if a deal is done with Celta to prise him away this month, but Mingueza ticks a lot of the key boxes for Emery, and it’s easy to see why Villa are said to be keen on acquiring his services to address what has been a long-standing issue in the current squad, be it as a replacement for Cash or additional competition for places both for the immediate and long-term future.
