Barcelona have been trying to shake things up as far as the squad is concerned. Their director of football Mateu Alemany along with the consultation of head coach Xavi, has been quite busy in the winter transfer market to alleviate the problems plaguing the squad which includes the departure of several players.
While they have had a poor track record in offloading players, they don’t necessarily require, the Catalans found some success recently with Philippe Coutinho securing a six-month loan move to Aston Villa which relieves much of the wage problems of the side.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Xavi has also put La Masia graduate Oscar Mingueza on the exit list and several La Liga sides have shown interest in his services. Jose Bordalas’ Valencia have emerged as the front-runners and want to incorporate the centre-back into the team as a loan signing. However, Bordalas is also conflicted and wants to sign Djene Dakonam from his former club Getafe.
With that being said, the 22-year-old also has offers from Mallorca and Celta Vigo. Bundesliga’s Hertha Berlin are also interested in his services, and Mingueza must now decide whether he wants to stay in Barcelona or leave to look for more gametime.
Having been at the club since the age of 11, Mingueza came up through the La Masia ranks, but his development stagnated at the B team for a few years. With Barcelona being hit by a major injury crisis last season, head coach Ronald Koeman introduced him into the first team dynamics where he impressed with his grit, determination and flexibility to play in multiple positions.
Mingueza has made 58 appearances for Barcelona but has found himself struggling for minutes this season as his form hasn’t been up to the mark. He has failed to show defensive security and the likes of Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia have been preferred over him as makeshift right-backs.
Barcelona would also be looking to impose additional clauses in case of a loan deal for the player. They would like to install financial compensation in case the young defender doesn’t see adequate minutes.
A potential sale of Mingueza will be vital for the club’s ambitions to replenish the backline in the summer. Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen have emerged as the top contenders and are likely to be free agents by the summer window.
