Jul 31, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta in a game against Liverpool at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

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Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Agree Deal To Sign Valencia Defender Cristhian Mosquera

Arsenal are aiming to wrap up the deal in time for Mosquera to be included in the squad for their upcoming pre-season tour.

Jul 31, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta in a game against Liverpool at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Arsenal have reached an agreement with Valencia to sign promising young defender Cristhian Mosquera for an initial fee of £13 million. There are also additional performance-based clauses included in the deal. The Spain Under-21 international is expected to complete his move to North London within the next 24-48 hours. Arsenal are aiming to wrap up the deal in time for Mosquera to be included in the squad for their upcoming pre-season tour.

Personal terms on a five-year contract have already been agreed in principle between Arsenal and Mosquera. Meanwhile, the Gunners will travel to Asia for their pre-season tour, which starts this weekend.

🚨❤️🤍 Christian Mosquera’s medical at Arsenal have been booked with documents in place between clubs.

Mosquera will sign long term deal later this week. Here we go, fully confirmed. pic.twitter.com/pB7LQeOsnt
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 15, 2025

Cristhian Mosquera Spotted at Airport

The 21-year-old has been spotted at a Spanish airport as he was preparing to travel to the UK to undergo his medical and finalize the formalities of the transfer. On Monday evening, Cristhian Mosquera was spotted at Valencia Airport, where Deportes COPE Valencia briefly spoke to him as he prepared to finalize his move to Arsenal.

| Vídeo @DepCOPEValencia | 🦇

🛫 Cristian Mosquera pone rumbo a Londres para firmar por el @Arsenal

🗣️ “Me voy orgulloso. Ahora a ver cómo se da todo y es el club quien debe hablar” pic.twitter.com/NXxTazBuTN
— Deportes COPE Valencia (@DepCOPEValencia) July 15, 2025

Mosquera said,

“I’m leaving proud. Now let’s see how everything unfolds, and it’s up to the club to speak. Valencia is my home and it always will be. I arrived when I was 12, and now I am leaving as a grown man. [I am] a little sad because [I have] been here [my] whole life, but decisions in football are like that.”

Negotiations between Arsenal and Valencia accelerated over the weekend, with reports confirming that the £13 million upfront fee falls below Mosquera’s €20m (£17.4m) release clause. Even with add-ons, Arsenal’s total outlay is expected to remain below that figure.

Mosquera can operate as both a centre-back and right-back. He is seen as a versatile addition by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. The new signing will provide competition for established starters William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. He is also expected to help cover the gap left by Takehiro Tomiyasu’s recent departure.

The defender arrives with significant experience despite his young age. He was been a mainstay in Valencia’s starting lineup last season, playing the full 90 minutes in 37 of their 38 La Liga fixtures. In total, Mosquera made 90 senior appearances for Valencia after joining their academy as a 12-year-old in 2016.

Mosquera becomes the latest addition in what has been a busy transfer window for Arsenal. The Gunners have already secured the signings of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, Christian Norgaard from Brentford, and Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea.

Arsenal

Cristhian Mosquera

Premier League

Valencia

Abhinav Goel

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I am a soccer writer at The PlayOffs, covering everything from match analysis to transfer buzz and tactical deep dives. Ever since I was a kid, soccer has been more than just a sport to me—it’s been an obsession. Playing and watching the game from a young age fueled my passion, eventually leading me into the world of sports media and betting. Now, I get to analyze the sport I love and bring the latest updates to fans worldwide.