Carlos Domínguez heads to Oviedo to get more minutes

R.C. Celta de Vigo

The move responds to the defender's desire to find the starring role he has not had in recent seasons. The loan will be straightforward, so the player will have to return to the Celeste club at the end of the season to serve out the contract year he still has ahead of him.

The agreement, first reported by Radio Vigo and confirmed by Faro de Vigo, is still awaiting the closing of a few loose ends, according to sources close to the player. Carlos Domínguez will defend the colours of the Asturian side with the aim of accumulating minutes and helping the team in its bid to return to LaLiga.

For some time, the centre-back had already accepted that his spell at the Celta was on pause. The club needed to free up space in the squad, and the youth-team player was one of the footballers with less weight in Claudio Giráldez's plans. The coach had already told him at the end of last season that he did not count on him.

A departure planned to play more

The lack of trust was also reflected during pre-season. Carlos Domínguez was not included in the Celta's mini-tour of Italy, a clear sign that his future lay in looking for another destination. From there, the player weighed up different options, with a very clear priority: to play.

The defender had suitors in LaLiga, in the Segunda, and also abroad. Rayo Vallecano and Málaga were among the clubs that had shown interest in his situation, but the Vigo-born player wanted a setting in which to feel important after several months with little playing time.

The Oviedo was the team that gave him the most confidence to carry out that idea. The player's goal is to get close to a season of continuity, with the ambition of playing around 40 matches at a club that starts out as a clear promotion contender.

Carlos Domínguez leaves the Celta temporarily after two seasons with a first-team contract. His LaLiga debut came in May 2021, still as part of the reserve team, under Eduardo Coudet at La Cerámica against Villarreal.

With the Vigo side, he has played 78 official matches: 64 in the league, 11 in the Copa del Rey and 3 in the Europa League. In that run, he contributed a goal and an assist, both in the cup competition. Although he usually had a secondary role, he delivered in specific moments and did what was asked of him when he had to take part.

Carlos's loan to Oviedo completes the quota of six loans of players over 23 that the Celta can formalise with Spanish clubs. Before that, Hugo Sotelo and Manu Sánchez went to Levante, Damián Rodríguez to Cádiz, Unai Núñez to Espanyol and Carlos Dotor to Málaga, so the remaining cast-offs will have to be transferred or have their contracts terminated if they want to play in Spain.