Newcastle United cannot be said to be resourceful.
Manager Eddie Howe has been under pressure this season, and his team hasn’t performed well this season, but two wins in the Premier League have lifted the Magpies out of the bottom of the table, and they are now just five points behind fourth-placed Liverpool.
With technical director Ross Wilson now settled in his seat at St James’ Park, Newcastle are unlikely to splurge this month, but there is no doubt they will want to make a smart purchase if the right opportunity presents itself.
Many positions have been marked, but the lack of depth at fullback has hindered Howe at times this season, so some movement is expected there.
Newcastle target new full-back
Lewis Miley has been something of a revelation this season, with the Geordie prospect substituting at right-back on a number of occasions, getting the job done for an injury-hit Newcastle side and earning manager Alan Shearer’s support after his impressive performance against Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Tino Libramento came on as a substitute in the match against Palace, but his fitness has not been satisfactory all year. With 35-year-old Kieran Trippier out of contract at the end of this season, it makes sense for them to move on to sign a new star.
And according to Caught Offside, Newcastle and Aston Villa are set to compete for the contract of Celta Vigo star Oscar Mingueza this month, with the versatile defender set to be out of contract at the end of the season.
It would take a small fee of around 10 million euros (about 800 million yen) to convince the La Liga side to sell, but it is worth stressing that they want to keep the 26-year-old, who is in talks to renew his contract at the Estadio de Balaidos this season.
Why Newcastle should sign Oscar Mingueza
Mingueza spent his career at Barcelona, playing a first team role before signing for Celta Vigo in 2022 and has since made 121 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing 12 assists.
Given his natural suitability as a Spanish defender, he could be used as Livramento’s replacement in Miley’s place, but with Howe’s midfield already full and targeted reinforcements taking place this year, this could spell bad news for the young Toon.
That doesn’t mean he’ll be thrown out, but his minutes may be limited at a time when he’s starting to get more opportunities. However, as we have seen this season, Newcastle need more talent in a variety of positions and Mingueza could help take this hierarchical system forward.
Mingueza, who analyst Ben Mattinson praises as an “underrated” player whose versatility allows him to cover “the entire backline” effectively, would certainly fit Howe’s preferred mold, with both Miley and Libramento showing impressive tactical dynamism on Tyneside.
Oscar Mingueza – Career statistics by position | ||
|---|---|---|
position | app | Goal + Assist |
center back | 86 | 2+7 |
right full back | 74 | 3+6 |
right midfield | 33 | 2+5 |
left fullback | 19 | 1+1 |
left midfield | 8 | 1+2 |
center midfield | 1 | 0+0 |
Dates via Transfermarkt | ||
There’s something Trippier-esque about the wide defender, highlighting his ability to drive transition play and aligning with Howe’s identity as a tactician.
According to FBref, the La Masia graduate has ranked in the top 4% of positions in Europe’s top five leagues in pass attempts over the past year, in the top 1% in progressive passes and in the top 9% in shot creation actions per 90, underscoring that he adds an extra dimension to Howe’s on-the-ball set-up.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the completed pass into the opponent’s goal or into the penalty area.
Spanish reporter Jacobo Buseta said in November that Mingueza was “back to his best version” and that Weidman’s “brutal” creativity was truly coming to the fore. Fellow journalist Vincent Burguete described his “elegant and flawless” skill set as “an incredible player”. It’s clear why he’s so coveted, even though Miley is on a roll.
If Newcastle want to leapfrog a level and start performing as a team capable of beating anyone across Europe, this is the move Howe and Wilson must make, shrewdly strengthening the squad ahead of grander plans come the summer.
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