Valencia are being pushed into a corner by Arsenal in transfer negotiations for Cristhian Mosquera.
Mikel Arteta made contact with Mosquera in an attempt to win the centre-back over amid growing transfer interest.
The Spain U21 international has charmed those at the Emirates, and vice versa, as his boyhood club, Valencia, are running out of answers to deter the Gunners.
Valencia offered Mosquera a new contract, promising to make the 21-year-old one of their highest-paid players, but it’s just not enough.
Arsenal have won over Cristhian Mosquera during transfer negotiations
Mosquera has agreed personal terms with Arsenal and has made it abundantly clear that he wants to join the club.
Though the rising star understands that he won’t arrive in N5 as a firm starter, he believes there’s an avenue to challenging William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
Such was echoed by a fresh update on the transfer front from Spanish outlet Las Provincias, who listed exactly how Arsenal have ‘taken advantage’ of Valencia.
It’s understood that Mosquera’s decision was made ‘within 24 hours’, rejecting Valencia’s extension offer to make his desire to join Arteta’s project known.
The mood of Las Provincias’ report suggests that the Gunners were simply too quick, while Valencia took their time.
Between the time of Arsenal’s interest and Valencia’s response of a contract extension, Mosquera’s ‘head and heart’ were ‘taken hold’ of by the North Londoners.
The attractive salary package from Arsenal was one thing to steer negotiations into a place that the Gunners wanted to be, but that wasn’t the only thing.
The Spanish outlet lauded Arsenal for moving ‘skillfully’ to persuade Mosquera to complete a transfer, insisting to the player that the ‘best option’ for him to rise to the top in Europe’s ‘elite’ was to make the move to the Emirates.
Aside from earning more, the centre-back was lured by Arsenal’s participation in the Champions League and the chance of ‘fighting’ for the Premier League title.
Mosquera’s head has been turned, with the transfer appearing to be hanging on the two clubs coming to a financial agreement.
Early win for Andrea Berta on the transfer front
Arsenal are exactly where they want to be when it comes to signing Mosquera, with the ongoing work behind the scenes conducted impressively.
Sporting director Andrea Berta has had a rapid start to life in N5, but already, the Italian’s charming ways appear to be making the difference.
Arsenal have two striker targets where they want them, the same with incoming midfielders Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard, and newly arriving Kepa Arrizabalaga.
The high-profile transfers will come, but every win needs to be celebrated after the lows that Arsenal have experienced in recent windows.
For Mosquera, the destination looks to be Arsenal, a move that the club’s hierarchy have orchestrated impeccably.
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