Arsenal are continuing their pursuit of highly-rated Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera but face resistance from the Spanish club, who have rejected a second offer worth slightly over €10 million ($11.7m).
Sources in Spain suggest that Valencia are standing firm in their €20m ($23m) valuation of the 21-year-old, who is regarded as one of the most promising young defenders in La Liga.
The club are determined to either secure a contract extension or cash in this summer, with Mosquera’s current deal set to run until 2026.
Mosquera, who has informed Valencia that he does not intend to accept their latest contract renewal offer, is weighing up his next move amid growing interest from England. Arsenal are leading the race, with Bournemouth also monitoring the situation.
The Spain youth international, who joined Valencia at the age of 12, made his senior debut in January 2022 and quickly established himself as a key part of Ruben Baraja’s side.
Why do Arsenal want to sign Mosquera?
Last season, he played every minute in 37 of their 38 league matches, an extraordinary achievement for a teenager and one that has drawn attention across Europe.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is said to be keen on adding depth to his central defence and views Mosquera as a long-term competitor to William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. The Gunners have already tabled two offers, with their latest bid falling well short of Valencia’s demands.
Despite the gap in valuations, there remains cautious optimism in north London. Sporting News understands Mosquera is open to the move and sees the Premier League as the logical next step in his development.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Sporting director Andrea Berta maintains strong relationships with Mosquera’s representatives and remains confident of getting a deal done.
Valencia, aware of their financial fragility, may be forced to reconsider their stance if no agreement on a new contract is reached.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are holding talks with representatives of several attacking players as they look to strengthen their wide options ahead of the new season, Sporting News understands.
The Gunners are adopting a flexible transfer strategy similar to the one famously used by Andrea Berta at Atletico Madrid, exploring multiple deals at once to ensure alternatives are ready should negotiations break down.
Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, as revealed last week, has a £68m release clause payable in instalments and is viewed internally as a player who can take Arsenal’s attack to the next level.
