Aston Villa battle European giants for Barcelona academy graduate in bargain transfer

Juventus and Aston Villa are reportedly eyeing a move for Spanish defender Oscar Mingueza on a free transfer this summer. Mingueza will be available for nothing after turning down the chance of extending his stay at Celta Vigo, which has put numerous clubs on red alert. The Barcelona academy graduate is at the peak of his career, making him an attractive proposition in the market as clubs look for deals that do not overstretch budgets. It is claimed that Juventus's sporting director, Damian Comolli, likes the player's versatility because he can play anywhere across the back four.

He has played right-back as well as the heart of the defence and it is said that fits perfectly with how Juventus boss Luciano Spalletti sees the make up of his team. Also the fact that he is available on a free transfer would allow Juventus to invest heavily in other areas of the team.

But according to calciostyle, Emery feels the defender would be suitable for Villa who have also been linked with a move for Liverpool's Joe Gomez who can also play anywhere across the backline. Mingueza has recently changed agents ahead of what will be a big move for him this summer with Newcastle and Arsenal having also been mentioned as keeping tabs on the Spaniard. Villa will need to significantly bolster their squad this summer as they look to be competitive following their return to the Champions League. They have already been linked with a move for Roma's Matias Soule.

Every day, the BirminghamLive football desk strive to deliver news, features and transfer-related stories as a part of our overall package of Aston Villa content. Our dedicated reporter John Townley - who you can follow on X - follows Villa home and away and offers you comprehensive coverage from matchdays, press conferences and everything that happens in between. You can keep on top of the very latest updates when they occur with our free daily Aston Villa newsletter , giving you a round-up of the key stories in your email inbox. If you want your favourite content straight to your phone, then sign up to get breaking updates and the biggest stories in and around the club on WhatsApp.

You can also get the latest Villa stories on your phone via the BirminghamLive app - which you can personalise - either on Apple or Android. And our weekly Aston Villa podcast, Claret and Blue, available to watch and listen on all major streaming services. You can s ubscribe to the YouTube channel , or access the podcast on Spotify or via Apple.