La Liga club director claims Barcelona have no buyback clause for former defender | OneFootball

Oscar Mingueza has emerged as one of the rising stars in La Liga this season. The former Barcelona defender, who is currently plying his trade for Celta Vigo, has been simply phenomenal, having actively taken part in five goals in five matches.

Operating in the right-back position, Mingueza has been effective in offering width and creativity out wide.

The versatile defender’s performances, in fact, have led to speculation regarding a potential return to Barcelona, who reportedly reserve an option to repurchase the player.

Celta Vigo sporting director’s startling contraction

However, Celta Vigo’s sporting director, Marco Garces, has made surprising revelations regarding Mingueza and his contract.

Garces contradicted Barcelona’s official version regarding the conditions of Mingueza’s transfer to Celta in August 2022.

Will Mingueza return to Barcelona? (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

According to Barcelona’s statement at the time of the transfer, the Catalan club claimed they had retained “a right to buy back the player in the future and 50% of a future sale.”

However, Garces presented a different picture.

Speaking to the press on Thursday, Garces clarified (h/t Mundo Deportivo) that Barcelona only holds a “right of first refusal and a percentage of any future sale, but no formal buy-back option.“

This directly challenges Barcelona’s previously communicated stance and adds intrigue to Mingueza’s future, particularly considering his current form.

As mentioned earlier, Mingueza has been on a roll this season, which even earned him a call-up to the Spanish national team for recent fixtures, though he did not feature in either the draw against Serbia or the victory over Switzerland.

Mingueza, whose contract with Celta runs until 2026, initially made his mark with Barcelona before moving to Vigo.

The former La Masia ace previously earned a cap with Spain in 2021, when the U-21 squad was called up due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the senior team.