Arsenal's Pursuit of La Liga Defender Hits Major Roadblock as Rivals Enter the Race

Arsenal encounter a last-minute obstacle in their pursuit of defender Cristhian Mosquera, as Valencia are determined to retain the Spain Under-21 representative.

The North London club caught supporters off guard when reports emerged that strengthening the defense was a top priority, despite the squad's shortage of attacking options being a factor in their Premier League title campaign struggles.

Mosquera, who is just 20 years old, has been targeted as the ideal candidate to offer better backup and depth behind the established central defensive partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel.

Arsenal have been progressing toward finalizing a potential £15 million ($20.6 million) transfer, but ESPN indicates that Valencia have expressed their intention to retain Mosquera for at least one more season by presenting him with a contract extension.

However, agreeing to new terms with Valencia is deemed "improbable" since the Arsenal proposal already put forward to him is described as "highly attractive".

Arsenal's initial summer acquisition has already been secured, with reserve goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga completing a permanent move from Chelsea. The Gunners have also been advancing discussions with midfield prospects Christian Nørgaard and Martín Zubimendi—with the Spanish midfielder potentially being the only one among these four players who could enhance Arsenal's first-choice lineup.

Brentford's football director Phil Giles stated on Tuesday that a transfer for Nørgaard is anticipated following negotiations between the clubs spanning over a week.

"We have been engaged in discussions with Arsenal over the past week to 10 days. Currently, the deal remains incomplete but is progressing in that direction.

"Should that materialize for him, it would be wonderful—he has deserved it. He has served as an exceptional captain for our club. We'll see how this situation develops, but we are quite transparent about that interest."