Using Data to Find a Replacement for Óscar Mingueza

Celta are currently in a Conference League spot and could return to Europe after 9 years. To make this happen, left-back Óscar Mingueza has been crucial for the manager Claudio Giráldez and had offers to leave in January. With Celta’s current form and his constant call-ups to the Spanish National Team, as well as a start in the second match against the Netherlands, many clubs will be on the lookout for the Spaniard.

In this article, we will be looking at potential replacements for Óscar Mingueza at Celta.

With the use of Scouting Stats AI and the McLachApp, both websites formed by football data enthusiasts on Twitter by the names of @ChicagoDmitry and @DEvansData on X, I have been able to find 3 potential replacements for Óscar Mingueza at Celta.

Mingueza will probably leave for a fee in excess of €20 million, however, Barcelona still keeps 50% of a future sale, which means that just half of the price will go to the selling club. If Celta does earn a European spot for next season, they will also want to sign players for squad depth, so we will be looking at players with a maximum market value of €5 million.

Name: Ridvan Yilmaz

Position: Left Back/ Right Back

Country: Turkey

Age: 23

Height: 174cm

Preferred Foot: Left

Current Club: Rangers

Context: Ridvan Yilmaz began his career at Besiktas, where he played 2 years in their first team before Rangers paid €4 million for his services and has been playing there for the past 3 seasons.

Because mclachapp does not have the Scottish Premiership, this data is provided by Fotmob. Here, we can observe that Yilmaz drops off in his offensive output compared to Mingueza with less xA, however, he does have more chances created than the Spaniard. Nonetheless, it is important to consider that Yilmaz is unable to generate high-scoring opportunities in one of the best teams in the Scottish Premiership, while Mingueza does it at Celta in La Liga. 

In addition, just like Mingueza, he is often participating in possession with more than 38 successful passes per 90, as well as more than 75 touches per 90. Furthermore, when it comes to their defensive capabilities, we can observe that both players rank highly in recoveries, and Yilmaz has a high percentage of tackles won compared to Mingueza.

We can observe here that both players are able to play on both sides of the pitch, however, Mingueza is often seen inverting more than Yilmaz, who usually stays on the side. Although this could also be due to the manager’s preference, if the player is comfortable moving inside, this is usually something that is used to the team’s benefit.

Overall, Yilmaz could be a solid replacement for Mingueza, though there are some important aspects, such as his positioning, which would have to modify Celta’s tactical system slightly. In addition, he lacks the creative output to replace Mingueza, though when it comes to maintaining possession and defensively, he seems effective.

Name: Hassane Kamara

Position: Left Back/ Right Back

Country: Ivory Coast

Age: 31

Height: 170cm

Preferred Foot: Left

Current Club: Udinese

Context: Kamara began his career in the Toulouse academy before he was signed by Châteauroux, where he spent just one year in the first team before he joined Stade Reims. After 5 years at the club, including a 6-month loan at US Créteil-L, Nice paid €4 million for the full-back, and after just a year and a half, Watford came with another €4 million for his services. 6 months later, Udinese paid €19 million (sister club) and left him on loan at Watford for another season until he joined the Italian club where he has been playing for the past 2 years.

Here, we can observe that both players have high scoring contributions as well as overall creativity, which shows that both players are able to generate opportunities. In addition, we can see that Kamara is a high-volume crosser, which differs from Mingueza, who rarely gets into positions to put the ball into the box via crosses. However, we can observe that both players have a high number of deliveries into the penalty area.

Nonetheless, seeing the previous stat, one achieves this via crossing and the other via passes. Moreover, it is important to note that Kamara is a more active defender with a higher number of interceptions and tackles, as well as a higher percentage of dribblers tackled.

These are another two statistics that are a big part of Mingueza’s strengths, which Kamara does not share, as he has fewer touches and recoveries. This tells us that the Ivorian is not as participative in possession as the Spaniard, also, he is not able to recover the ball as frequently as Mingueza.

These images show us that Kamara does not invert as often as Mingueza but rather prefers to stay on the touchline and reach the byline where he can put crosses in the box. This style of play would obligate the manager Claudio Giráldez to switch his approach; however, seeing as they play in a back 3, Kamara could offer the width necessary from the wing-back position, and with his creativity, he could offer a lot to Celta on the wing.

Overall, Kamara would be a replacement for Mingueza, who perhaps does not coincide with the Spaniard’s style of play. Nonetheless, with Celta’s current tactical style, he could offer a different approach and also a profile they don’t currently have in the squad. Furthermore, his contract expires next summer, and with his age, he could come on a cut price. In addition, Celta is one of the youngest squads in the league, so adding experience would not be a bad idea.

Name: Gabriel Suazo

Position: Left Back/ Defensive Midfielder

Country: Chile

Age: 27

Height: 178cm

Preferred Foot: Left

Current Club: Toulouse

Context: Suazo came up through the ranks of Colo-Colo in Chile and stayed there for 7.5 years until his contract expired and he joined Toulouse on a free transfer, where he has been playing since January of 2023.

This image shows us that both players have high numbers in scoring contributions, though Mingueza surpasses that of Suazo by 0.14. Nonetheless, both players are able to generate open play shots for others, and they have a high volume of key passes and deliveries into the penalty area. Also, he is a high-volume crosser, though not as much as Kamara; however, Suazo is still above average in this aspect.

Another attribute to note of the Chilean is that he is an active defender with high numbers in tackles and interceptions compared to the Spaniard.

These images show us both players’ amount of touches and recoveries, and the first observation we can make is that Suazo does not participate as often as Mingueza in possession with fewer touches. However, he does recover the ball very frequently, including in the final third, which shows that he is an effective presser, essential to the manager’s system.

These images show us that although Suazo is not as involved as Mingueza in possession, he does invert into more central positions in the build-up. When higher up the pitch, he prefers to reach the byline and attack from there, crossing the ball into the box like a traditional full-back. However, it is in his skillset to be available more centrally.

Overall, Suazo would be a suitable replacement for Mingueza, with the only issue being that he does not participate as often when his team has the ball. However, his positioning tells us something different from our initial perception looking at his stats, which is that he does invert, similar to Mingueza. Nonetheless, further up the pitch, he acts as a traditional full-back, offering width and crossing the ball. Furthermore, he has a high number of recoveries, including in the final third, similar to Mingueza, showing he is an effective presser.

In addition, given that he is Chilean, he would not have to adapt to the language, and his contract expires in 2026, so he would be available at a discounted price, making him financially accessible.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Gabriel Suazo would be the most suitable replacement given his accessibility and skillset, nonetheless, the other two are other options that could also be potential signings. Kamara would offer more experience and Yilmaz a more futuristic option as he is still young.

By: Juan Fernandez Valencia / @ScoutLaLiga

Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Rıdvan Yılmaz Twitter