David Ornstein issues major Arsenal transfer update as ‘personal terms are in place’ for priority signing

Transfer expert David Ornstein has delivered an update on Arsenal’s progress towards a key defensive signing.

The Gunners are understood to have identified defensive cover as one of their priorities in the summer transfer window and Ornstein reports that they’re close to getting their man.

With Aston Villa holding their transfer activity back until this month and their interest in him falling by the wayside, Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera has been getting closer to an Arsenal switch for a number of weeks.

Arsenal ‘working to complete a deal’ for Mosquera

William Saliba and Gabriel will take some unseating at the Emirates Stadium but Arsenal’s defensive depth is arguably better suited to the full-back positions.

Mosquera is poised to ease the burden at the back for the Premier League runners-up and, at 21 years of age, offer a potential long-term option for manager Mikel Arteta.

“Personal terms are in place with the 21-year-old and the two clubs are close to reaching an agreement,” report Ornstein and Mario Cortegana for The Athletic.

Mosquera was a regular for Valencia in each of the last two seasons, starting 70 of their 76 matches in La Liga and clocking up more than 3,000 minutes apiece in 2023-24 and 2024-25.

He’s one of the most effective one-on-one defenders in Spain’s top flight and a very useful technician who has represented Spain at every age level imaginable.

A senior call-up isn’t beyond the realms of possibility and playing regularly at the top end of the Premier League would do his case no harm at all.

Arsenal are closing in on several key signings at once as their transfer window continues apace.

“The club have also agreed a deal for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke and have an agreement in principle to sign Sporting CP forward Viktor Gyokeres in a deal worth a total of €73.5million,” reports The Athletic.

The Gunners’ next confirmed signing will become their fourth announced addition of the summer transfer window after the arrivals of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, Christian Norgaard from Brentford and Kepa Arrizabalaga from Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Arsenal will be keen to finalise deals for Mosquera, Madueke and Gyokeres in plenty of time to include them in the travelling party for friendlies against AC Milan, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur in Singapore and Hong Kong in the last week of July.

Villarreal and Athletic Club will visit the Emirates in August before the Premier League season kicks off with a visit to Manchester United on Sunday, August 17.