Deal Agreed: Arsenal agree deal to sign big-name signing after sealing Norgaard’s transfer- The superstar set to undergo his medical today
Arsenal have plenty of depth in defence but are keen to add another body at the back this summer.
Following links to Vitor Reis and Dean Huijsen, who have since joined Manchester City (in January) and Real Madrid respectively, Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera is the latest name to emerge as a target.
According to David Ornstein over at the Athletic, the Gunners are working on a deal to sign the 20-year-old this summer.
It seems clear that a young defender is preferred as someone to offer depth behind Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba. The ongoing fitness issues faced by Takehiro Tomiyasu have meant Arsenal have required both Jurrien Timber and Ben White to cover right-back as well as the centre of the defence.
Mosquera, who will turn 21 on Friday, has already made 82 appearances in LaLiga and played 90 minutes in 37 of Valencia’s 38 league games last season. He started three times for Spain at this summer’s U21 Euros, including this week’s semi-final defeat to England. With Spain now knocked out of the tournament, any updates on his future could come quickly.
The defender, who has played on both the left and the right of a centre-back partnership in Spain, has just 12 months remaining on his deal at Valencia, which should help along any negotiations if they do want to avoid losing him for nothing next year.
Whether an addition in defence could mean an exit for Jakub Kiwior, who covered for Gabriel when he was injured last season, remains to be seen.
