Arsenal Actively Pursuing Shock Priority Signing in Transfer Market
Arsenal supporters are demanding the acquisition of a new striker, however recent reports regarding the club's transfer activities indicate that securing a defensive player is also considered a "priority" by the organization.
The North London club remains the sole member of the Premier League's elite 'Big Six' that has yet to make any signings during this summer window, while Liverpool and Manchester City have collectively brought in eight new players.
Despite limited advancement in securing a striker to fill the No. 9 position and provide goals, The Athletic reports that Arsenal are "pursuing" a deal to acquire centre-back Cristhian Mosquera.
The 20-year-old Valencia defender is reportedly considered perfect backup for William Saliba and Gabriel, as the club struggled with inadequate depth in that position during the previous campaign. Earlier in 2025, Arsenal witnessed their targets Vitor Reis and Dean Huijsen move to different clubs—Manchester City and Real Madrid respectively.
Mosquera has been part of Valencia's setup for nearly ten years and, regardless of his youth, has featured in 70 La Liga matches during the 2023–24 and 2024–25 seasons.
The defender, who celebrates his 21st birthday this week, was born in Spain but possesses Colombian heritage through his parents, making him eligible to play for the South American nation internationally. However, he has exclusively represented Spain so far, progressing from Under-15 level up to the Under-21 squad.
His standing appears unaffected by Valencia's disappointing campaign, which seemed destined for relegation from La Liga for the first time since 1986 before they managed to climb out of the bottom three during the season's final phase—this turnaround commenced when former Huddersfield Town and West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberán took charge on Christmas Eve.
At Arsenal, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber can all operate as centre-backs, though each player was sidelined with injuries at various points during the last season.