Cristhian Mosquera is widely considered to be among the most promising young defenders in European football.
Arsenal have completed the acquisition of defender Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia for an initial fee reported to be in the region of €15 million (£13 million).
The 21-year-old has agreed to a five-year contract with the Gunners, which includes an option for an additional 12 months.
Mosquera, capable of playing both as a centre-back and right-back, is expected to fill the void in the squad following the departure of Takehiro Tomiyasu, who mutually agreed to terminate his contract earlier this month.
The Spain Under-21 international joined Valencia’s youth setup in 2016 at the age of 12, before making his senior debut in 2022, becoming the youngest centre-back to represent the club.
Mosquera made 90 appearances for Valencia, becoming a mainstay in the side last season, featuring in every minute of 37 of the club’s 38 La Liga fixtures as they finished 12th.
He joins Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard, and Noni Madueke as new additions to Mikel Arteta’s squad this summer, with Viktor Gyokeres also reportedly close to joining the Gunners.
Mosquera is slated to join up with the Arsenal squad on their pre-season tour in Asia, having already received permission to travel from Valencia prior to the confirmation of the deal.
Arsenal defeated AC Milan 1-0 in Singapore at the National Stadium on Wednesday and are scheduled to face Newcastle United at the same venue on Sunday.
Following their time in Singapore, the team will travel to Hong Kong to play Tottenham Hotspur before returning to London.
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Arsenal’s acquisition of Mosquera is seen as an investment in a young defender possessing the quality to bolster their defensive options.
Having played senior football for two seasons, Mosquera recorded the most minutes played by any Valencia player and the second-most of any outfield player in La Liga during the 2024-25 season.
Such availability is highly valued by Arsenal manager Arteta, who will be hoping to avoid the injury setbacks that plagued the team last season.
In addition to his availability, Mosquera’s versatility, with the ability to play in any defensive position, adds significant depth to an already strong Arsenal squad.
While adaptation to a new league and country may take time, the presence of a large contingent of Spanish speakers at Arsenal should facilitate a smoother settling-in process for the 21-year-old.
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