Crystal Palace have agreed a deal with defender Oscar Mingueza on a free transfer after the Spaniard left Celta Vigo. The Spanish defender underwent a medical on Wednesday ahead of his move to South London and is expected to sign a four-year deal at the club, according to Sky Sports.
Crystal Palace Agree Deal For La Masia Graduate on a Free Transfer
Pierre Sage’s first bit of business in the Premier League will be bringing in the 27-year-old defender, as Palace build their squad ahead of a maiden Europa League campaign.
The versatile defender has played as a wing back on either side as well as filling in at centre back, and is coming off the back of a solid season for Celta Vigo in which he appeared 47 times in all competitions.
The Eagles will be keen to add depth to their squad, and a free transfer like this will add competition to the right-hand side after Nathaniel Clyne’s expected departure.
Crystal Palace Agree Deal but Who is Oscar Mingueza?
A graduate of the prestigious La Masia academy, Mingueza appeared for Barcelona 66 times in all competitions, including 10 Champions League appearances across two seasons.
His time at Barcelona included an El Clásico goal in April 2021 in the same season that Mingueza won the Copa Del Rey as he started for Barca in a 4-0 final win over Athletic Bilbao.
As well as this, the defender boasts four international caps for Spain, with his most recent appearance coming in August 2025 in the Nations League.
Barca to Vigo
Since joining Celta Vigo on a free in 2022, Mingueza has become a mainstay in the squad and has played 147 times for the Sky Blues, which included playing alongside current Palace striker Jorgen Strand Larsen.
The Spaniard will fit seamlessly into Sage’s plans as he is very comfortable getting forward from defence and chipped in with six assists last season. The full back is also a comfortable set-piece taker with both free kicks and corners in his skill set.
Mingueza will be experiencing football outside of Spain for the first time in his career and will be eager to test himself in the Premier League, with plenty of opportunities available at Palace as they compete across four different competitions.
Crystal Palace Agree Deal But Others Interested
The South London side aren’t the only Premier League club to show interest in Mingueza, with Arsenal, Aston Villa and Fulham all enquiring about his future after his contract expired, and Palace will be delighted to secure his services on a free transfer.
Despite uncertainty about French international Maxence Lacroix with Chelsea interested, Sky Sports understands that Mingueza’s incoming will not impact Lacroix’s future, with the centre half still on World Cup duty with France.
Featured image courtesy of Imago/Colorsport
