Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera confirmed the end of his near decade-long association with the club ahead of his widely reported move to Arsenal.
The Spain U21 international has spent the past nine years rising through Valencia’s youth system to establish himself as a fixture of the first-team backline. Arsenal’s interest in the 21-year-old surprisingly emerged at the end of June and negotiations over a move have progressed swiftly—despite Valencia’s attempts to hold up the deal.
Mosquera ultimately rebuffed the club’s offer of a new contract and was said to have sealed a move to Arsenal worth an initial €15 million (£13 million, $17.5 million).
After biding farewell to his La Liga teammates on Monday, Mosquera had a phone thrust in his face while signing autographs. “Valencia is my home and it always will be,” he sighed. “I arrived when I was 12, and now I’m leaving as a man, a little sad because you’ve been here your whole life, but decisions in football are like that. Now a new era begins, this continues.”
When the prospect of a move to Arsenal was raised, Mosquera treaded carefully. “I prefer the club to talk first, and then whatever happens next happens,” he sagely warned. “It’s exciting, but it’s also sad.”
Mosquera would be the fourth permanent arrival for Arsenal this summer in a continued trend of a rotational recruitment. Kepa Arrizabalaga was whisked away from Chelsea on the cheap to provide backup to David Raya before former Brentford captain Christian Nørgaard arrived to bolster Mikel Arteta’s midfield depth.
Noni Madueke’s expected arrival from Chelsea is another deal which would theoretically strengthen Arsenal’s squad rather than the first team. Bukayo Saka is the undisputed starter on the right flank while Gabriel Martinelli is still expected to retain his position on the opposite wing.
Martín Zubimendi’s arrival is the only addition to Arteta’s likely XI, although he could soon be joined by Viktor Gyökeres if an agreement with Sporting CP can be belatedly struck.
