Celta Vigo’s former Barcelona defender Oscar Mingueza insists he is in not in talks over a potential £17 million move to Premier League outfit West Ham United.
When the speculation over his future emerged in the Spanish press earlier in the week, Oscar Mingueza must have known that the topic would come up during his subsequent interview on Galician TV.
Not that the La Masia graduate was in any mood to pour fuel on the fire.
When asked directly about those West Ham United links, or the prospect of a 20 million euro departure during the winter window, Mingueza was quick to insist that there are no negotiations underway, his focus still on helping Celta Vigo bounce back from a fraught start to the season.
Oscar Mingueza plays down West Ham rumours
“I have nothing planned, nor has anyone contacted me. I’m focused on Celta,” Mingueza explains, via Estadio Deportivo.
“West Ham is a great team. A very nice team. But I am focused on Celta and the match against Valencia (this weekend).”
Mingueza, who can play at centre-half and at right-back, made 66 appearances for Barcelona between 2020 and 2022 but has struggled to live up to expectations under one-time Liverpool, Everton and Chelsea coach Rafael Benitez at Balaidos.
West Ham, meanwhile, are likely to prioritise additions at the other end of the pitch post-Christmas, neither Michail Antonio nor Danny Ings doing the creative talents of Lucas Paqueta, Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen much justice.
David Moyes needs goals
AZ Alkmaar’s Vangelis Pavlidis, Bayer Leverkusen’s Adam Hlozek and Stuttgart’s Serhou Guirassy are among those linked with a mid-season switch to the London Stadium.
West Ham also tried to sign Yuri Alberto over the summer, though it remains to be seen whether David Moyes’ side return for the one-time Brazil international.
“I had an offer from West Ham for 16 million euros and we didn’t do it (the deal),” Corinthians president Duilio Monteiro Alves explains.
“If he scores four or five goals, he’ll be worth 35 (million euros).”
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