Espanyol close to signing Unai Núñez from Celta

RCD Espanyol are in advanced negotiations with Celta de Vigo to sign Unai Núñez, a 29-year-old centre-back that manager Manolo González needs to strengthen his backline. According to Mundo Deportivo's report, the move would be structured as a loan with an option to buy.

The signing push comes hot on the heels of Pablo Ramón (25) officially completing his transfer to Racing Santander this morning. Núñez, with nearly 200 La Liga appearances under his belt and one Spanish international cap, is out of favour at Celta under boss Claudio Giráldez, who left him out of the squad that travelled to Italy to face Sassuolo and Napoli.

The Bilbao-born defender arrives with recent loan experience: last season he played for Hellas Verona until January and then joined Valencia, where he alternated between centre-back and right-back duties. Both positions are crucial gaps in Espanyol's current squad, where González can only count on Lele Cabrera, Clemens Riedel and Omar El Hilali, plus academy prospects Adama Timera and José Ángel López.