FC BARCELONA TRANSFER MARKET
Mingueza's future: Flick says 'no' to his return to Barça in 2025/26
Published:13/02/2025 - 23:04h
Updated:15/02/2025 - 03:58h
The future of Óscar Mingueza looks set to be away from Celta de Vigo next summer, but not towards FC Barcelona. The Catalans have reserved a right of first refusal, but they do not plan to exercise it.
Hansi Flick has reportedly ruled out bringing Óscar Mingueza back to the FC Barcelona squad next summer. The 25-year-old defender is having a very good season with Celta de Vigo, a factor that has improved his chances of trying his luck at a more powerful club in 2025/26, as he only has one year left on his contract and, for now, the Galician team has not made significant progress regarding his renewal.
Barça released Mingueza in the summer of 2022, when the player from Santa Perpetua de Mogoda signed for Celta at 'zero cost'. However, the Catalans reserved a right of first refusal, along with 50% of any future profit. In this sense, the Blaugrana's interest lies in cashing in on the 25-year-old defender in the next transfer window, a possibility that remained open in January.
In this regard, the Vigo sports director, Marcos Garcés, confirmed that, beyond several "approaches and rumors", no formal offer was made for the Catalan defender in the winter. So far this season, Óscar has scored 2 goals and provided 5 assists in 22 matches (1,750 minutes) with Claudio Giráldez's team, and his market value remains at 20 million euros, a figure that will easily facilitate his transfer next summer.
Barça is not considering signing a right-back in the next market
Meanwhile, Barcelona is keeping an eye on the future of the right-back position, which both the management and the coaching staff led by Hansi Flick have ruled out reinforcing next summer. Unlike the left side, where the club prioritizes incorporating a full-back capable of challenging Alejandro Balde for the starting position, there are no doubts about the prominence and hierarchy of Jules Koundé on the right.
The Frenchman has scored 3 goals and provided 7 assists in 36 matches (2,981 minutes) with Hansi Flick's team, being the player with the most minutes played in the Blaugrana squad so far, surpassing Raphinha, Pedri, Pau Cubarsí, and other key players in the squad. The club has Héctor Fort as an alternative to the '23', a role that Ronald Araujo can also fulfill without any issues.
