Arsenal are preparing an offer to sign Valencia CF centre-back Cristhian Mosquera, according to a report from Spain.
Jose Manuel Aleman reports for Spanish outlet Cadena SER that Cristhian Mosquera’s agent is set to meet with Valencia executives in the coming days to inform them of interest from several teams, including Arsenal.
Gunners sporting director Andrea Berta reportedly previously pursued Mosquera whilst he was working for Atletico Madrid, and he’s evidently keen to do so again with Arsenal.
Arsenal seemingly meet all the requirements the player has set for his next club, as a team with an ambitious Premier League project, Champions League football, and the chance to grow his career as an individual.
Whilst Mosquera is keen to leave, he also wants Valencia to benefit financially from his departure, given the years he’s spent in their academy. So he’s not looking to run down his deal, which expires in 2026.
As a result, the defender is available for around €20m (£17m) this summer, including both the initial fee and bonuses.
Atletico Madrid and Villarreal are both also interested in the signing, but Arsenal have the advantage of greater financial flexibility. Both Atletico and Villarreal would have to sell before they could buy.
Mosquera has made 37 appearances for Valencia this season, as well as playing four times for the Spain u21s. That includes a clean sheet in a start against the England u21s, when he surely would have caught the attentions of some Premier League scouts.
Valencia still have four league games to play in their current campaign, still with a chance of breaking into the Europa Conference League or Europa League places. Any hopes of a Champions League spot are long gone.