Arsenal Secure Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia in £13m Deal

Arsenal Secure Cristhian Mosquera Joins Arsenal in Tactical Move to Bolster Defensive Depth for 2025/26 Campaign.

Arsenal have officially announced the signing of Cristhian Mosquera, the highly rated Spanish defender from Valencia, marking their fifth acquisition of the summer transfer window, the 21-year-old joins the Gunners on a five-year contract, with the deal reportedly worth £13 million, potentially rising through performance-related add-ons.

Mosquera, born in Spain to Colombian parents, has been a standout performer in La Liga since making his debut for Valencia at just 17. Over four seasons, he amassed 90 senior appearances, including an impressive run last season where he started 37 of 38 league matches, playing every minute. His consistency and maturity have earned him recognition as one of the most promising young centre-backs in Europe.

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Naturally a right-sided centre-back, Mosquera is also comfortable on the left and at right-back, offering Mikel Arteta valuable flexibility in defense. His arrival fills the void left by Takehiro Tomiyasu’s departure and adds depth alongside William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães.

Arteta praised the signing, saying:

 “Cristhian has already performed consistently well with significant experience in La Liga. He is an intelligent player with good pace, who can play centrally and on both sides. He is a young player with exciting talent and enormous potential.”

Sporting director Andrea Berta echoed the excitement:

“We identified Cristhian as one of the strongest young defenders in European football, and he is an important signing for our future.”

Mosquera has already joined his new teammates on Arsenal’s pre-season tour in Singapore, where he’ll begin integrating into the squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

On the international stage, Mosquera has represented Spain U21s 11 times and was a key figure in their run at the 2025 U21 European Championship, starting every match before their quarter-final exit to England. He also won Olympic gold at Paris 2024, further cementing his reputation as a player with big-match temperament.