Who is Cristhian Mosquera? What You Need to Know

Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera this summer. The 22-year-old has become one of the most promising defenders in La Liga. He could be Mikel Arteta’s next key addition to strengthen the Gunners’ backline.

Mosquera’s Journey at Valencia

Mosquera joined Valencia in 2016 at just 12 years old. He worked his way through the youth ranks and made his first-team debut in 2022. At that time, he became the youngest centre-back ever to play for Valencia. Since then, he has quickly developed into a regular starter.

In the 2024–25 season, Mosquera played more minutes than any other Valencia player. In fact, he played the second-most minutes of any outfield player in La Liga that season. This shows how important he is to the team at such a young age.

Impressive Stats in Defence

Despite being only 22, Mosquera’s stats are already top-level. Last season, he won 70.7% of his ground duels—the highest among La Liga defenders who contested over 100 duels. He also won the ball back 5.15 times per match, ranking him third among defenders in that category.

A Modern Ball-Playing Defender

Mosquera is also calm and confident with the ball. He completed the most passes per game in the Valencia squad. His passing accuracy stood at 90.5%, slightly higher than Arsenal’s Gabriel (90.2%). This makes him a strong fit for Arteta’s system, which relies on playing from the back.

Room for Improvement

Not everything about Mosquera is perfect. One of his weaknesses is in the air. He is 6’2″ tall but won only 45% of his aerial duels last season. This is lower than every current Arsenal defender. However, with coaching and experience, he can improve that part of his game.

A Learning Opportunity at Arsenal

If Mosquera joins Arsenal, he will learn from elite defenders like William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães. Training with them could help him become more dominant in the air and grow into a complete defender.