Arsenal have started to pick up their transfer business in recent weeks with three new arrivals confirmed by the club with more signings on the way at the Emirates Stadium.
Kepa Arrizabalaga has joined for just £5m from Chelsea as a solid back-up option to David Raya while Mikel Arteta has strengthened his midfield with the additions of Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard for a combined £66m.
More arrivals are poised to be on the way as the Gunners continue to work on a headline summer deal for Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres with talks reaching a very advanced stage after a breakthrough over the last few days.
It was also reported on Monday that the North London outfit had agreed a deal for Cristhian Mosquera of Valencia. The Spanish centre-back will make the move to the Emirates Stadium to provide more cover for William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães.
Giving more detail on Mosquera’s proposed move to Arsenal, Fabrizio Romano revealed the player rejected a new contract at Valencia as well as an approach from a Serie A club.
He said on X: “Not only Valencia’s new deal proposal – Cristhian Mosquera has also turned down an important proposal from Serie A to join Arsenal.
“He was clear since day one of this transfer window, only wanted Arsenal.”
The player is poised to have his medical in North London this week. The Alicante-born player turned 21 just a few weeks ago and will be able to gain some experience off the likes of Saliba and Gabriel.
He came through the youth academy at Valencia and made his senior debut back in January 2022. He has became a regular in the starting XI in the last two seasons, playing 36 La Liga games in 2023-24 while making 37 appearances in the Spanish top flight last term.
Arteta’s side conceded just 34 goals in the Premier League last season. That was seven fewer than champions Liverpool while in the previous campaign they conceded just 29 goals – five fewer than Manchester City who won the league that campaign.
The Gunners scored fewer goals in those two seasons which is what proved costly in their bids for the title but the potential addition of Gyokeres could help fix that problem. Mosquera is unlikely to replace Saliba or Gabriel in the starting XI but will give strong cover with both players picking up injuries in recent campaigns.
The addition of Zubimendi as a defensive midfielder in front of the back four will make Arteta’s side an even more difficult opposition to break down next season as they look to finally get over the line and end their run of second place finishes in the Premier League.
The arrival of Mosquera does also give Arsenal a possible long-term replacement to Saliba, who has two years to run on his deal amid links to Real Madrid.
