Mikel Arteta 'driving' Arsenal move for Spain international

Oscar Mingueza is being targeted by Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta (Picture: Getty)

Mikel Arteta is pushing Arsenal to explore a move for out-of-contract Celta Vigo defender Oscar Mingueza, according to reports in Spain.

Arsenal bolstered their defensive options with the addition of Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie last summer, with the latter’s loan deal set to become permanent at the end of the season.

The Premier League champions are keen to further strengthen at the back, though, and a shortlist of names is being drawn up in preparation for the possible departure of Ben White .

Jurrien Timber’s prominence at right-back, when fit, means White has been pushed to the periphery – and there is little chance of the England international staking a claim at centre-back, where Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba are deemed untouchable.

Crunch time beckons for Thomas Tuchel (Picture: FA via Getty Images)

Newcastle’s Tino Livramento – who was today forced to pull out of England’s World Cup squad through injury – has been heavily linked as a possible target in this area for the Gunners.

However, it’s understood Arsenal may have to spend in excess of £60million to prise Livramento away from St James’ Park – and the north London giants have been scouring the market for cheaper alternatives.

According to Spanish newspaper AS , Arsenal have been alerted to a potential deal for Celta’s Mingueza, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the month.

Mingueza is available on a free transfer this summer (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal and Newcastle are ‘leading the pack’ to sign the defender (Picture: Getty)

The report claims it is an ‘open secret’ that Mingueza will depart Celta on a free transfer, with the La Liga outfit having brought in a right-back in the shape of Alvaro Nunez in January.

Arsenal are expressing the strongest interest and ‘leading the pack’ for Mingueza, along with Newcastle, and the 27-year-old is said to be ‘aiming for the Premier League’ this summer.

The Gunners’ interest is ‘primarily driven’ by head coach Arteta, who like Mingueza, rose through Barcelona’s La Masia academy ranks as a youngster.

The Spaniard is comfortable playing across the back four (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal’s ability to offer Champions League football next season would likely give Arteta’s side the edge over Newcastle, but neither club has made contact with Mingueza’s camp as yet.

Juventus have also been monitoring Mingueza’s situation and are viewed as the ‘main alternative’ to Arsenal and Newcastle this summer. Aston Villa and Fulham have been linked in the past, but are not believed to be actively pursuing a deal at this stage.

Central defender Joseph Aidoo and left wing-backs Mihailo Ristic and Franco Cervi are expected to follow Mingueza out the exit door at Celta.

Mingueza is viewed as a potential replacement for White (Picture: Getty)

Comfortable operating as a right-back, centre-back and left-back, Mingueza’s profile has been identified as similar to that of White and his versatility stands out as a major plus point for the Gunners.

‘He’s a fantastic player. He has a tremendous personality,’ Celta head coach Claudio Giraldez told SPORT when discussing Mingueza’s qualities back in April.

‘I hope he can stay. But we know it will be difficult to keep him.

‘I hope he can have a great career because he still has a lot of room for improvement. I like him a lot.’

The Celta star missed out on a place in Spain’s World Cup squad (Picture: Getty)

The former Barcelona man has been capped four times by Spain and was a part of Luis de la Fuente’s side that lost to Portugal in last year’s Nations League final.

He also played a key role in Spain’s side that clinched a silver medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan.

As a teenager, Mingueza had been tipped as a possible first-team star at Barca, having joined the club’s youth ranks at the age of just eight. The defender struggled for regular game-time under Xavi, though, citing a frosty relationship with the manager as a possible reason for his stagnation at the Camp Nou.

‘When Xavi arrived, we didn’t click well. He must not have liked me or something,’ he explained in an interview with Esport3 in 2024.

‘I didn’t have the best mentality in the world either, and that’s why I left Barca, to try to regain my motivation and to enjoy myself.’