Newcastle United & Aston Villa ‘interested’ in free transfer after Eddie Howe’s stark PSR admission
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Newcastle United latest news: Newcastle United and Aston Villa have been linked with signing a La Liga defender in January.
Newcastle United and Aston Villa are reportedly among the clubs interested in signing Celta Vigo defender Oscar Mingueza - according to reports in Spain.
Various outlets have suggested that Mingueza could be on his way to the Premier League in the near future with West Ham also among the reported suitors. Mingueza has less than a year left on his contract with Celta Vigo and thus would be available as a free transfer when the 2026 summer transfer window opens if an extension is not agreed.
Alternatively, any interested club from outside of Spain can also agree a pre-contract deal with the defender in January, one that would then see him move for free once his contract expires. Whilst the allure of playing in the Premier League can be big for players, Mingueza may need extra motivation to leave Celta Vigo.
The former Barcelona youth player has spent three years at Celta Vigo and admitted recently he was ‘very happy’ at the club. Mingueza said: “I’m very happy here, very content. I know that if I stay here, I wouldn’t earn the same as in other places, but personally I’m also looking for a bit of comfort.”
“I don’t know the percentage [chance of a new deal], but what I do know is that we’re talking. I’m very comfortable here, I want to stay here, but we’ll see what happen.”
Mingueza has featured in all but one of Celta Vigo’s La Liga matches this season.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United PSR admission
Whilst a free transfer from Spain may not be the most glamorous of transfers that Newcastle United will complete, they are the types of deals that the club will have to consider. The Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and UEFA’s squad cost rules will limit what clubs like Newcastle United and Aston Villa can spend on transfers.
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Despite both clubs selling major assets in recent seasons, these rules are still having a major impact on what they are able to do in the transfer market. Alexander Isak’s sale to Liverpool generated £130m for the Magpies, but Eddie Howe has recently admitted that won’t solve all of the club’s PSR issues and that those rules will once again squeeze what they are able to do when the January transfer window opens.
“It's not my field, so I genuinely don't really know where we're at,” Howe said.
“PSR is always a factor. I understand that the sentiment will be that selling Alex will have solved all of our problems forever, but that's far from the case.
“It will be ongoing, and while those rules are in place, it will be something that affects us in every window. That will have to be a big consideration for us again.”
Newcastle United have had two very quiet winter transfer windows in recent times, with their last big-money signing during January coming way back in 2023 and their purchase of Anthony Gordon from Everton. No senior players arrived during the 2024 or 2025 windows.