6 days ago
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Saliba back-up?
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Arsenal look set to have one of the busiest summer transfer windows in the club's history. New Sporting Director Andrea Berta has certainly been moving in a different way to his predecessor Edú Gaspar. The Gunners have already announced the signings of midfielders Martín Zubimendi and Christian Nørgaard, Noni Madueke, and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. They have also agreed new contracts with centre-half Gabriel, and academy product Myles Lewis-Skelly, with a new long-term deal for fellow Hale End graduate Ethan Nwaneri thought to be close.
In addition to that, Arsenal have agreed a fee for Sporting striker Viktor Gyökeres. But there's another youngster who has just been confirmed as a new signing at the Emirates. Arsenal have completed a deal for Valencia and Spain U21 central-defender Christhian Mosquera, with the player currently out in Singapore on the team's pre-season tour. The deal is expected to cost the Gunners an initial €15m with a further €5m in potential add-ons, with the 21-year-old having been his last year of contract with the LaLiga side. He will come in to be William Saliba's understudy, but what will he add to Mikel Arteta's defence? With expert insight from Spain, we bring you more on the young defender.
What type of defender is Christhian Mosquera?
Jon Hernandez is a Spanish sports journalist who covers LaLiga for the likes of Dazn, and he reveals more about what sort of defender Arsenal will be signing this summer: "Mosquera has the ability to read parts of the game before they even happen. He shows great tactical intelligence to intercept passes and close down spaces, and is also very comfortable on the ball." These traits resonate most with Saliba in the Arsenal back-line and that position at right-centre-back will be where Mosquera is mainly tasked with providing cover. Last term, Saliba only missed three Premier League games, and no outfield player played more for the Gunners across all competitions. The signing of 21-year-old Mosquera should ease the burden on the Frenchman.
"While he has played a fair amount in LaLiga with Valencia, he still needs more exposure to European competitions or intense environments to prove himself at the top level," admits Hernandez. However, when it comes to Mosquera's profile, Hernandez made a big comparison, "Mosquera’s style of play is similar to Raphaël Varane in his early Real Madrid days. Both are quick, composed centre-backs with strong ball-playing ability and have the capacity to cover for others defensively." Mosquera already boasts a market value of €30m - around double what Arsenal will initially pay for him - and has already made 82 appearances for Valencia despite only turning 21 at the end of June.
Mosquera was also a key figure for Spain U21 in the recent U21 European Championship. He joins the Gunners as a player with plenty of promise, and will be a player for the future as much as the present. "I think he will be a success in the Premier League," Hernandez claimed. "In a setup like Arsenal, which prioritises controlled build-up and having defenders who are comfortable in possession, he could fit in extremely well. Having said that, adapting to the Premier League’s pace and physicality will be crucial and could take some time." Among a chaotic and busy transfer window, the signing of Mosquera may prove to be an astute piece of business.
