Opinion

Arsenal face new potential Cristhian Mosquera finance hurdle as Valencia ‘agree’ another sale in transfer talks

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Arsenal continue to work on a move for Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera this summer, with talks ongoing over a switch.

The Gunners have made two priorities clear this summer, one being an improvement to their forward lines and another being an increase in squad depth.

Injuries were a problem for Mikel Arteta last season, with plenty of points dropped after missing some key players.

With that in mind, Arsenal are looking at ways to improve their depth, with Cristhian Mosquera being one of those who can offer just that.

Arsenal have been in talks to sign Mosquera from Valencia for several weeks now, though there is yet to be an agreement reached.

A new deal elsewhere could thwart the chances of the Gunners getting a favourable deal now, creating a potential problem.

Arsenal target Cristhian Mosquera shouts during Mallorca v Valencia
Photo by Cristian Trujillo/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Valencia agree Yarek Gasiorowski sale which could cause problems for Arsenal and Cristhian Mosquera

Arsenal’s talks with Valencia for Mosquera are actually based on a rough transfer figure around the €20 million (£17 million) mark.

That’s because Mosquera has a release clause in that region, which would allow the Gunners to snap up a potential bargain.

So far, Arsenal haven’t triggered that clause, as they are negotiating more favourable financial terms with Valencia this summer, as the young defender enters the final year under contract at the club.

Getting the Spanish outfit to agree to that may be tough, though, as Fabrizio Romano reports that Valencia have agreed to sell another centre-back.

Yarek Gasiorowski, a 20-year-old defender, is set to join PSV Eindhoven after a season in and out of the team.

With that lack of depth, Valencia clearly need at least one replacement and could then stop Arsenal from agreeing a deal on a payment plan.

That may force the Gunners to trigger the release clause instead, which comes with other complications.

Cristhian Mosquera points during a game between Valencia and Mallorca
Photo by Rafa Babot/Getty Images

Why Arsenal may struggle with Cristhian Mosquera release clause

There are two elements to football finance when it comes to transfer dealings.

One of them is the PSR guidelines in the Premier League, which dictates how much a team can afford to lose in any given year.

Arsenal have plenty of headroom in this regard, capable of spending plenty in the market, if they so wish.

The other element to consider is cash itself.

Cash flow is important, as actually having money available to move around to debtors in the market keeps everything moving.

Arsenal will have a certain amount of liquid cash they can work with and the triggering of a release clause can take up a huge chunk, as it has to be paid up front.

It explains why the Gunners are negotiating a different payment structure to Valencia, despite the fee itself seeming so minimal.

Now that they are set to sell another defender, it could be difficult to negotiate such a deal, putting another hurdle in the way.