Arsenal have been busy this summer as they are planning to bring in multiple reinforcements to help Mikel Arteta in his push for the Premier League title next season.
The Gunners have already signed players like Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Christian Norgaard this summer.
However, the North Londoners are far from done as they are close to wrapping up the deal for Cristhian Mosquera, as per David Ornstein.
They have been eyeing a move for the Spanish centre-back for many months, and now they are finally close to agreeing terms with Valencia.
Arsenal have reportedly closed the deal for £17m ($23m) after their first bid of £12m ($16m) got rejected.
The 21-year-old is considered one of the brightest young defenders to come out of Spain as he featured in the U21 Euros in Slovakia last month.
While Spain were knocked out by England, the eventual champions, Mosquera received great plaudits for his exceptional defensive heroics during the tournament.
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Interestingly, Arsenal were keen on signing Dean Huijsen before his move to Real Madrid. But once the Spaniard joined Los Blancos, they shifted focus to Mosquera.
What does Mosquera bring to this Arsenal side?
Arsenal were one of the best defensive units in the Premier League last season, and therefore they conceded only 34 goals, seven fewer than the champions, Liverpool.
Now, they are close to adding another defender into the mix, who will offer more stability and balance to the Gunners in the upcoming seasons.
Mosquera's story to prominence is a fascinating one as he reportedly picked up basketball as his favoured sport as a child despite football's influence in Spain.
It was only when he joined his cousin's futsal team that his priority shifted to football, and soon he moved to ditched the futsal arena for the field.
He started as a winger for his physical prowess and long strides, but once he joined Valencia's youth academy, he was seen as a centre back.
Valencia have gone through some tumultuous years, and despite that, Mosquera had to wait for his opportunities.
It is only in the last couple of years that the defender has consistently featured for the senior team with his dominant performances at the heart of the defence.
While he is still far from a finished product, his physicality and game awareness are two aspects that keep him a couple of notches above defenders of his age.
Mosquera is exceptional in winning ground duels and is also very adept with the ball. He often drives out of the backline and plays incisive passes.
Former Valencia youth coach Miguel Angel Angulo has described the 21-year-old as “physically dominant, technically sound, and remarkably mature for his age".
Mosquera's arrival will allow Arteta more flexibility as he can now pair him with either Gabriel or William Saliba, keeping them fresh for crucial fixtures and also avoiding injuries.
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