Crystal Palace have finally made a signing this summer after agreeing a deal for Oscar Mingueza.
The 27-year-old was a free agent after choosing to leave Celta Vigo when his contract expired at the end of last season, following four years and 147 appearances for the Spanish side.
That was an ample amount of time for the Celta Vigo fanbase to get to know Mingueza – and We Are Palace have now spoken to Noticias Celestes to get the lowdown on the Spain international.
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Exclusive: “Wholesome” Oscar Mingueza backed to “quickly connect” with Crystal Palace fans
Noticias Celestes – which translates to Sky Blue News in English – believes Mingueza will be a fine fit under Pierre Sage in SE25.
They said: “Oscar is a footballer who performs better in a back-five formation than in a back-four. He is a highly attack-minded wing-back who can also play as a central midfielder or a winger. He did so here at Celta, albeit only on a few occasions. He really stands out for his excellent ball control, ability to play the ball out from the back, passing, and long-range shooting.”
Sky Sports believe Sage plans to use Mingueza as a right wing-back, which bodes well for the Eagles given what Noticias Celestes explains above.
In terms of the Spaniard’s character, Noticias Celestes added: “Mingueza is a good person – a pretty humble guy. In our dressing room, he was always joking around and spending time with his teammates. He’s a really wholesome player – not toxic at all – and he brings a positive vibe to the locker room. I think he’ll quickly connect with your fanbase.”
We Are Palace also spoke to another Celta Vigo supporter named Ana Vilanova on Instagram – who emphasised the fact Mingueza is a strong character and a fine teammate – but did concede that he can somewhat struggle when the defence as a whole is pinned back.
They said: “He is a great teammate and, I believe, a good friend of (Celta Vigo striker) Borja Iglesias, so you can expect he values friendship, inclusivity and solidarity (he even painted his nails as a way to support Borja).
“On the field, he is a versatile player who excels offensively and is great with ball progression, thriving in a high line but struggling a little in a low block with a few positioning lapses. You can see that in the goal conceded against Athletic Club (1-1 draw, 17th May 2026) where he left his zone completely exposed because he struggled to recover his position.”
Ultimately, that sounds like a very minor issue that Sage can work on with Mingueza – who knows Yeremy Pino well – in training at Copers Cope.
Initial thoughts on Pierre Sage? 🤔
He can boast a 67.5% win ratio from 40 games at RC Lens 😍
Without paying a penny in terms of a transfer fee, all of the above makes it sound like Crystal Palace have secured a bargain.
