Barcelona defender calm over Brighton interest

Barcelona defender Oscar Mingueza has said he is not worried about the lack of contract talks with the club, with Brighton monitoring his situation closely.

Mingueza has enjoyed a breakout season in the Barcelona backline. He has made 19 LaLiga appearances after being promoted from their B team last year.

His current contract runs out this summer. But the Catalan giants have the option to extend his deal for another two years.

According to Mundo Deportivo, via Sport Witness, the club are keen to exercise this option. However, the decision comes down to whether manager Ronald Koeman wants him for next season or not.

It’s been reported that a number of clubs are ready to pounce if Koeman’s answer is no. One of these clubs is Brighton, who have ‘sounded out’ the player about a potential move.

The 21-year-old has insisted he remains calm despite the uncertainty of what the coming months hold.

“We haven’t talked about my future; there was no board of directors,” he told Spanish sports radio programme El Larguero.

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“But I’m not worried; there’s still a long season to go. I hope to stay at Barça for many years.

“If they had told me a year ago that I was like this, I would have burst out laughing; it was almost unthinkable. I’m very calm, nothing has been discussed, but I’m very calm.”

Mingueza is a product of the revered La Masia academy. He has been used at both centre-back and right-back this season, so offers valuable versatility.