Arsenal’s backline, already considered the strongest in the Premier League over the last two seasons, is set to become even more formidable. The club has completed the signing of Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia, a young defender known for his calm presence, composure in duels, and impressive one-on-one defending. Though just 21 years old, Mosquera arrives with significant top-level experience and a reputation for consistency well beyond his years.
Despite boasting the best defensive record in England for two consecutive campaigns, Arsenal ended both seasons without a single trophy. In fact, during that stretch, eight other Premier League clubs managed to lift silverware while the Gunners settled for second place. The defence has not necessarily been the problem, but the lack of quality depth behind first-choice centre-backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães has proven costly. When either of the starting pair has been unavailable, the drop in quality has been clear and damaging.
In the 2022 to 2023 season, Saliba’s injury towards the end of the campaign proved to be a turning point. Similarly, Gabriel’s absence in the closing months of the 2024 to 2025 season disrupted the rhythm of the squad. Jakub Kiwior performed admirably as a stand-in, but the team’s performance dipped without the Brazilian’s influence, particularly in attacking set pieces. In the final 13 matches of the season, Arsenal only managed to score from corner kicks against already relegated Ipswich Town and Southampton, a stark contrast to the 11 corner goals they had scored in 39 games before Gabriel’s injury.
Knowing they could not realistically improve on the Saliba and Gabriel partnership, Arsenal chose to invest in depth. Mosquera is a versatile option who can play on either side of central defence and even slot in at right-back when needed. His signing provides the club with more flexibility and allows Arteta to manage his centre-backs’ workload better across a long and demanding season.
Mosquera began his football journey at Valencia, where he rose through the ranks and made his senior debut in early 2022 at just 17. Though he had limited minutes initially, he established himself fully during the 2023 to 2024 campaign and has not looked back since. Over the last two seasons, he has played more competitive minutes than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues under the age of 21. He has made 70 starts, appeared in 73 games, and accumulated more than 6,300 minutes on the pitch.
To put that into perspective, he has started more league matches than Désiré Doué, played more minutes than Lamine Yamal, and had more appearances than Savinho within the same age group. The only players who started as many La Liga games at such a young age in the last 15 years are César Azpilicueta, Aymeric Laporte, and most recently, Barcelona’s Gavi.
Mosquera was primarily used as a right centre-back during his breakout season, forming a solid partnership with Gabriel Paulista. Following the Brazilian’s transfer to Atlético Madrid and later Besiktas, Mosquera adapted by shifting to left centre-back to accommodate the younger César Tárrega. His flexibility also saw him play in a back three and even at right-back when the team required it.
In the 2024 to 2025 season, he started 37 out of 38 league matches, playing the full 90 minutes in all but one game. The only match he missed was due to suspension, and Valencia conceded seven goals in that match against Barcelona. While the quality of the opposition was a factor, his absence clearly made a difference.
Physically, Mosquera stands at 6 feet 2 inches and brings a commanding presence to the backline. Though his aerial success rate of 51.4 percent ranked among the lowest for La Liga centre-backs last season, his ability to handle dribblers is outstanding. In fact, among 195 La Liga players who attempted at least 50 true tackles last season, Mosquera had the highest success rate at 76.7 percent. This figure even outperforms Arsenal’s Saliba, who finished second in the Premier League with a rate of 79.5 percent.
Arteta prefers defenders who are strong in duels and rarely get beaten in one-on-one situations. Mosquera fits that profile perfectly. On the ball, he is equally reliable. He completed 88.6 percent of his passes in his first full season and improved that number to 91.2 percent last season. Impressively, he achieved these numbers while playing for a team that ranked outside the top seven in terms of possession.
However, he tends to play it safe. Only 3.8 percent of his 2,048 passes last season were classified as progressive. Not a single one of those passes resulted in a direct chance created for a teammate. While this shows a tendency to prioritize security over creativity, it also means he avoids risky errors.
Where he shines more is in carrying the ball. With 503 total ball carries and 286 progressive carries, Mosquera ranks among the top in La Liga, especially for defenders playing in teams that do not dominate possession.
Of course, he is still developing. His passing is not yet at the level of the very best ball-playing centre-backs, and his aerial duels could use improvement. But with the right guidance, training, and exposure to higher-level competition at Arsenal, these are areas that could quickly evolve.
There is also the question of game time. Mosquera is not the kind of player who will be content to sit on the bench every week. Given his talent and rapid development, there is every chance he pushes the current starters and makes Arteta’s selection decisions even more difficult. For a team chasing domestic and European titles, that kind of pressure on first-team regulars could be exactly what is needed.
In the end, Arsenal are not just buying a back-up. They are investing in a long-term piece of the puzzle. If Mosquera’s upward trajectory continues, this signing might prove to be one of the most important moves of the summer. And with Arsenal looking to finally end their title drought, that extra bit of defensive steel might just be the edge they have been missing.
Should we send you latest update about your favourite sports and team?
Enter you email in the box below and hit the subscribe button to join our teaming 876+ sports community.
