Who is Cristhian Mosquera? Why Arsenal fans should be excited as summer transfer nears completion

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Evening Standard

·15 luglio 2025

Who is Cristhian Mosquera? Why Arsenal fans should be excited as summer transfer nears completion

Spain U21 international is on his way to bolster Mikel Arteta’s defensive options

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It may come as a surprise to some, and little to others, but Arsenal are set to sign another centre-back.

Mikel Arteta is keen to strengthen his central defensive depth, and has identified Cristhian Mosquera as his primary target with a deal nearing completion.

Currently, the Gunners boast William Saliba, Gabriel, Jakub Kiwior, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber, who can all play at the heart of defence.

But with Arteta’s preference to position White, Calafiori, Tomiyasu, and Timber as full-backs, his attentions have turned to adding another name to supplement his three specialists.

And so, he is drawn to Mosquera, the 21-year-old born to Colombian parents and currently plying his trade at Valencia.

Growing up as a basketballer before making the move to futsal, athleticism was never something that Mosquera lacked.

His introduction to futsal was accidental. He joined local Alicante side San Blas Cañavate - where his cousin played - as the team were lacking a player.

Moving into football, Mosquera started out as a winger, known for his pace and power, moving to Alicante’s biggest team, Hercules, in 2013.

He made the move to Valencia in 2016, aged 12, moving back to play as a central defender soon after.

Cristhian Mosquera has already battled Kylian Mbappe in his young career

AFP via Getty Images

Miguel-Angel Angulo, the Valencia Mastella manager, hailed Mosquera as having the perfect blend of physicality and technical ability.

“He is characterised by a physical condition and good technical qualities, powerful in the air, and mature for his age,” Angulo said of Mosquera.

Standing at 6’3”, Mosquera has a towering presence that would lead many to presume that he is a front-footed, aggressive defender, but that is not the case, with the defender often more reserved when it comes to putting a foot in.

He is characterised by a physical condition and good technical qualities, powerful in the air, and mature for his age

Miguel-Angel Angulo

Mosquera has established himself as one of La Liga’s best young centre-backs, having made his senior debut for Valencia in January 2022 against Atletico Baleares in a 1-0 Copa del Rey win. He made his top-flight bow just three days later against Sevilla in a 1-1 draw, becoming the fourth-youngest player to feature for Valencia in La Liga.

He played 37 of 38 league games last season, playing 90 minutes in every single one.

Although yet to be capped by the senior side, Mosquera is a Spanish youth international, featuring for every one of their junior teams.

He won Olympic gold at Paris 2024, and was a staring centre-back at the European Under-21 Championships in Slovakia, although the favourites were defeated by defending champions England 3-1.

With a switch to north London very much on the cards, where might he fit?

It would be a tall order to displace the goliath pairing of Saliba and Gabriel, but offering competition to the duo and keeping them on their toes would most likely by Mosquera’s squad role.

Kiwior stepped in ably when Gabriel required surgery on a season-ending hamstring injury, and the onus would be on Mosquera to have a similar impact should one of the first-choice options get sidelined.

Mosquera’s contract in Spain expires next year, and this has allowed Arsenal to move swiftly. Once the deal is announced, the defender will follow Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Christian Norgaard through the door at the Emirates Stadium this summer.