Monchi has identified Marc Pubill from Almeria as an alternative option to Oscar Mingueza. The 21-year-old has a release clause of €40 million (£33.6m / $41m) in his contract, but it is suggested that Aston Villa might not need to pay the full amount to acquire him. Pubill was on the verge of joining Atalanta, a top team in Serie A, last summer, but the deal collapsed late in the transfer window. He is an essential player for Almeria, who currently lead the league and are striving for promotion back to LaLiga. Aston Villa have prioritized signing a new right-back this month as Unai Emery looks to increase competition for Matty Cash. Although other reports indicate that Villa are still interested in Mingueza, the connection with Pubill remains strong, especially considering his impressive performance this season with 16 appearances for Almeria in the Spanish second division.