Valencia Defender Mosquera Joins Arsenal Asia Tour Ahead Transfer

Arsenal is close to finalizing the signing of 21-year-old Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, who has joined the club's squad on their pre-season tour in Singapore. The deal reportedly involves an initial fee of around £13-17 million with add-ons, and Mosquera is expected to sign a long-term contract to provide defensive cover for William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. Mosquera, who can play both center-back and right-back, fills the gap left by Takehiro Tomiyasu's departure and has been a regular at Valencia, making 90 appearances and playing almost every game last season. This transfer marks Arsenal's fifth signing of the summer as the club continues to strengthen under coach Mikel Arteta, with additional deals including Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and a near-completed deal for striker Viktor Gyokeres. Arsenal's pre-season tour includes matches against AC Milan, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur in Singapore and Hong Kong. Mosquera's addition is part of Arsenal's strategy to improve upon last season's second-place finish in the Premier League.