Zaragoza closing in on Joaquín Delgado deal

Real Zaragoza have accelerated their pursuit of Joaquín Delgado in recent hours, the Real Oviedo striker, according to *Sport*. The operation is in its final stages and appears to be on track, pending only final details to become official.

The formula being discussed is a free transfer with a percentage of the sell-on fee retained by the Asturian club, who have Delgado under contract until 2028. Oviedo initially preferred a loan with an option to buy, while the player favors either a contract termination or a permanent deal. The striker's clear interest in the Zaragoza project, promotion contenders, has been key to accelerating the timeline.

Arantegui's signature move

This deal sees Zaragoza discard Jesús de Miguel, who has been their primary target throughout summer. Delgado has beaten interest from other clubs including Tenerife, Huesca, Mirandés and Ibiza. The Utrera striker, standing 1.87 meters but with excellent mobility, is the classic signing preference of sporting director Lalo Arantegui: young, promising, and a proven goalscorer.

Last season he started at Oviedo Vetusta in Segunda RFEF, where he scored 14 goals in 17 league matches. Barcelona's B team signed him in January and he added 6 more goals. The Catalan side held a €4 million purchase option they chose not to exercise. In the Tercera RFEF the previous year he scored 23 goals. New Oviedo manager Julián Calero has decided to keep Víctor Mingo in attack, leaving no room for Delgado.