Arsenal transfer target makes final decision on £17.3m move after rejected offer
Cristhian Mosquera has told Valencia that he has his heart set on joining Arsenal this summer after the La Liga outfit rebuffed an offer for the defender.
It emerged last week that the Gunners had seen an offer for Mosquera, 21, rejected by Valencia. But interest in the Spain youth international remains high with Arsenal still interested in the centre-back, who is also being courted by RB Leipzig.
Mosquera is in the final year of his contract, meaning Valencia are not in the strongest bargaining position amid interest from overseas. Las Provincas now claim that Valencia have offered Mosquera a contract extension to keep him at the club beyond this season.
But the defender has informed them he wants to join Arsenal.
Mosquera was initially keen on extending his contract with Valencia - before learning of Premier League interest. And their delay in tabling an offer has seemingly opened the door for Arsenal.
Mosquera is understood to have already agreed personal terms with Arsenal, who see the young defender as the ideal understudy to William Saliba.
While Mosquera is sold on a move to The Emirates, Arsenal will still have to pay a substantial fee to get a deal done. Valencia are understood to want £17.3million if they are to sanction Mosquera's dream switch to the Premier League.
A move for Mosquera would mark another significant addition to the Arsenal squad with plenty of substantial deals already in the pipeline.
Join the debate! Should Arsenal go all out for Mosquera? Let us know here
Martin Zubimendi, the Real Sociedad playmaker, is expected to be confirmed as an Arsenal player any day now after agreeing a move worth in excess of £50m. The Gunners are also in advanced talks with the Brentford captain, Christian Norgaard, too to further stock their midfield.
A move for a quality striker has always been Arsenal's top summer priority, though, with fresh reports claiming that talks with Sporting Lisbon over a deal for Viktor Gyokeres are now at an advanced stage.
Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko have been Arsenal's two top targets ahead of the new season with the former now seemingly the preferred option. A swoop for a left-sided forward, potentially Rodrygo of Real Madrid, is also something Arsenal want to do before the transfer window shuts at the end of next month.
There is growing belief that the Brazil international will become available, after falling down the pecking order under new Bernabeu boss Xabi Alonso.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
18 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Beth Mead interview: We're now judged like England men's team – that is a good thing
Beth Mead has experienced the highest of highs as a footballer and the lowest of lows as a daughter who lost her mother just a few months later. It was three years ago that Mead won the European Championship with England, ending the tournament with the Golden Boot and the year as BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Her life changed forever. She became a household name, a celebrity. And at the same time, she was left without her mum, June, to help steer her through it. 'Our lives changed almost overnight,' Mead tells Telegraph Sport. 'It was a big change at rapid speed. I went into the tournament as a footballer and came out of it as someone who was famous. That wasn't what I was expecting. 'Women's football in this country changed forever after that tournament. At Arsenal, our attendances flew through the roof. There was more television coverage and the game changed for the better. 'In terms of the celebrity side, it was a little weird at first. On a personal level, it was a big change, but whenever someone came up to me, in the back of my mind, I knew this was good for women's football. I'm an extrovert, it comes more easily to me to speak to people, but some found it a little harder to adapt.' There were challenges ahead for Mead, though. An anterior cruciate ligament injury in late 2022 ruled her out of the following year's World Cup and then she had to navigate her way through the trauma of losing a parent, without the release of playing the sport she loved. 'I think I went from the highest high in my life to the lowest of lows in the space of six months,' she says. 'I found out quite quickly after the Euros that my mum's cancer was terminal. I was trying to manoeuvre being this person who had achieved something they had always dreamed of, to being a daughter who was going to lose her mum. 'I was trying to come to terms with a new life with the dread of knowing that my mum was not going to be by my side. We were incredibly close, that was a tough path to figure out. 'To then do my ACL alongside that, it was a really horrible time, but it has helped mould me into the person I am today. I am a very lucky person because of the people I have around me. The people who really love me. You find out who those people are in dark moments like that. 'I have a great family and a family away from family, the Arsenal girls. They showed up for me at the hardest time of my life. Those moments when I thought I can't do this, they were by my side to help show me I could.' It has given the 30-year-old a unique perspective on not just football, but life. Back in the England squad as they prepare to defend their European crown in Switzerland, Mead has been through so much. She has forged strength in the face of adversity; a sense that whatever is thrown at her, she will overcome. These are qualities England need more than ever. The Lionesses have reached at least the semi-finals of every major tournament since 2015, but their form recently has been patchy. There has been criticism of their performances and players have departed. The sudden retirement of Mary Earps on the eve of the Euros was closely followed by that of Fran Kirby, another key figure in their success. When England's captain in Australia, Millie Bright, announced she was making herself unavailable for selection for the Euros to prioritise her 'mental and physical wellbeing' there was a sense of crisis engulfing the camp. Bright, like Earps, is understood to have been told she was no longer a guaranteed starter by manager Sarina Wiegman. Where once there had been only praise and good wishes, there were now barbed questions and scrutiny of the motives behind those decisions. Expectations are incredibly high too. You might argue the Lionesses have become victims of their own success but, interestingly, Mead does not entertain the idea they are victims of anything. Her message is a blunt one: this is what women's football wanted – deal with it. 'We are being judged how the England men's team always has been,' said Mead, with the sort of straight-talking approach that betrays her Yorkshire roots. 'One hundred per cent that is a good thing for me. That is how big women's football has become. It doesn't make it easier for some people and yes, it can be difficult, but top and bottom, we have to deal with it and cope with it. If there is criticism in the media, if there is outside noise, it should give us an extra point to prove.' Reflecting on England's inconsistency since winning the Euros in 2022 and reaching the World Cup final a year later, Mead expands on her point. 'It has been up and down [since the World Cup],' she says. 'We've had some good performances and some not good ones. I guess we have been in a transition period. 'There was a lot of familiarity in the group and that changed through retirements. We've had more change on the eve of the tournament, but that is done. We have to pull together, make it right and deliver. I always back us going into tournaments that we will get it right. 'There might be a perception that we are not the same force we were. But that was around the team when we went to the World Cup and the team got to the final. 'We know what comes as part and parcel of playing for England now. The expectations are huge and there is pressure, there is noise, but we are going out there to win the thing. 'I don't shy away from that expectation and pressure, we have to embrace it and as one of the senior players that is what I've been drilling into people. We're playing for England, this is what comes with it. 'There is going to be criticism attached to that. Throughout my career, I've always been criticised as well as praised. It's not something that worries me or bothers me. 'I understand that for some people it's not easy to have to deal with that and it can hurt. It's not our favourite part of playing the game, but we wanted the game to grow, we wanted the attention and with that expectation comes pressure. If you don't live up to it, there will be criticism. It should just give us an extra fire inside to prove people wrong. 'There is nothing better than shutting people up by performing on the pitch. That is the challenge we take on and it is one we are relishing. I think we should use it as motivation, not shy away from it. People can say what they want, we win games and it all goes away. Suddenly the story is different, isn't it?' Mead is diplomatic when asked about the loss of three senior players, insisting she respects their decision, but echoed the words of Wiegman when she said the squad had already moved on. 'They are big characters we are going to miss,' she says. 'They are players I've played with for a long time at international level. It will be a little bit weird not having them there, but at the same time, everyone has their own journey. These girls made their decisions for whatever reason and you have to respect that. 'We have to push on with the players we have here now. National teams evolve, there are always going to be changes. The last Euros was three years ago, you've got to make the best out of the situation, not worry about players who aren't going to be there.' There will always be one person Mead will miss; someone she will always struggle to cope without. 'I still think about my mum every single day,' she adds. 'Something will happen… a song on the radio, I'll hear her voice when someone says something. There are days when I think about her more than others, but there is always something. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Beth Mead MBE (@bethmead_) 'When I got the call from Sarina to say I had been called up to the England squad, she said to me I'm super happy for you to be in the squad, the first without your mum and that makes it very very different. 'For her to still understand and recognise that for me, it was very special. She lost her sister just before the Euros and we have that connection. We have lost someone we love and everything that comes with that. It never leaves you, but you have to get on with life.' It is an approach England will do well to follow this summer. 'I want to inspire kids when we play in Euros this summer' How do famous names spend their precious downtime? In our weekly My Saturday column, celebrities reveal their weekend virtues and vices. This week: Beth Mead 8am What time the day starts depends on what time kick-off is. I would love a lie-in, but my dog Myle really doesn't. She's a little cocker spaniel, brown with a white chest and ginger paws. I'm biased but she's gorgeous and I love her to bits. She's like me – full of energy, and a big personality, a big alpha woman 9am I've been away from my partner Vivianne [Miedema, who plays for Manchester City] since she left Arsenal, so it's nice to have quality time whenever we can. When it's not a match day, we'll go for a walk and have brunch and a coffee. I live by the countryside near St Albans so Myle is free to roam wherever she likes, as long as she behaves. 10am I live very close to the Arsenal training ground, so I drive over and get my breakfast at the club. I'm a creature of habit and eat what I eat to be able to feel good on the pitch, so it'll be avocado on toast with scrambled eggs or anything else to do with eggs, I'm a big egg fan. 11am We get on the bus to travel to the club. I play Monopoly Deal with Caitlin Foord, Katie McCabe and Alessia Russo. Katie has got 10 wins more than most of us, so we're not happy about that. We use a few rude words sometimes. 12pm Head into the stadium where I'll always go straight to see the physio. I'm actually very chilled before a match – when I'm on the physio bench, I play Candy Crush on my phone so that I don't think about the game too much, I just switch my brain off. 2pm When I go out for the warm-up, I'm in full focus mode. I'm getting old now so I've got to do that little bit of extra work, prepare correctly, and then get out there and play a good game of football. 5pm A lot of the girls find it really hard to switch off after a match, but it's one of my superpowers – I think some of them are very envious. But, win or lose, I'll always look at myself in the mirror, check my own performance, and look at what went right and what went wrong, and what could be done better. I'll then go over it the next day with coaches, looking at clips of the match. I'm my own worst enemy, definitely my harshest critic. 7pm It's nice to switch off and cook for myself. I'm very good at risotto and can make a nice lasagne or fajitas. I don't go out often but, if I do, it's for good food, good people and good chat. It depends where I am as to how much I get recognised. If one person talks to you, you're in trouble, other times, I pass by unnoticed. I meet a lot of young fans at McDonald's Fun Football sessions, where boys and girls have a safe environment to play for free. I never got the chance to do something like this as a kid and it would have made my footballing journey a lot easier. It's nice to meet them and give them a core memory – it depends who they support though, maybe not if they're the Chelsea fans! But I hope we can inspire every single one of them while we're out in Switzerland representing the nation. 9pm I've seen Game of Thrones right the way through before and gone back to the beginning. I'm watching it with Steph Catley, my close friend [and Arsenal team-mate], so it's fantastic seeing her reaction when a character dies. We've also been watching Married At First Sight: Australia – that is a very entertaining show. 10.30pm Chill in the bath. Then it's the same bedtime every night, I'm serious about my routine. My head hits the pillow and I'm out. My dad is like that so it's something he passed on to me, which I very much don't take for granted. Beth Mead kicked off the first McDonald's all-girls Fun Football day, with up to 300,000 hours of free coaching sessions across the UK this summer.
Daily Mirror
34 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Arsenal make decision on seven exits as Mikel Arteta steps up summer rebuild
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is eager to land some blockbuster signings in the summer transfer window to help the Gunners kick on next season but several stars will also be leaving Arsenal are not planning to sell Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard this summer as things stand - but five fringe players are expected to be moved on before the transfer window closes. The Gunners have big plans this summer after finishing second in the Premier League for a third consecutive year and strengthening in attack is a priority. The club are searching for a new No.9 and an elite-level left winger, with further additions in midfield also planned. Talk that Arsenal are looking for new faces in attack has, in turn, sparked speculation over some of Mikel Arteta 's current players. The Mail, however, have outlined that Martinelli and Trossard - two of the players in question - are not up for sale and that Arsenal would like them to stay beyond the transfer window. It's explained that Martinelli would compete with a new left winger, potentially Rodrygo of Real Madrid, rather than being sold to raise funds for more big deals. And Trossard, a player capable of playing in a variety of attacking positions, is also still in Arteta's plans and is even in talks to extend his contract until 2029. But while they are seemingly safe from the chop, a handful of other first-team stars are available for transfer including Fabio Vieira, who will return to Arsenal after spending the 2024-25 campaign on loan with his former club, FC Porto. It emerged last week that they will not be pursuing a permanent deal for a player who flourished for them in the Portuguese Primeira Liga previously. Join the debate! What transfer business do you think Arsenal need to do this summer? Let us know here Other players who could depart Arsenal this summer include Reiss Nelson and Oleksandr Zinchenko, both of whom earn in excess of £100,000-a-week according to the same report. Both players have been linked with Fulham while Zinchenko is also understood to have suitors in Europe. Albert Sambi Lokonga and Jakub Kiwior are the other two stars mentioned as potential outgoings - even though Kiwior impressed during the back end of last season. The Poland international is likely to find himself further down the pecking order, though, if Arsenal are successful in their pursuit of the Valencia defender, Cristhian Mosquera. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Friday's briefing: ‘Shocked' Liverpool players pay tribute to Diogo Jota
World champions Spain started their bid for Euro 2025 glory with an impressive 5-0 win over Portugal in Bern, where a minute's silence was held ahead of kick-off. Slot said the Reds were in 'absolute shock' after the death of the 28-year-old Portugal forward and his brother Andre Silva in Spain in the early hours of Thursday. 'What to say? What can anyone say at a time like this when the shock and the pain is so incredibly raw? I wish I had the words, but I know I do not,' Slot wrote in a personal statement published on the club's website. Arne Slot statement: — Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 3, 2025 'All I have are feelings that I know so many people will share about a person and a player we loved dearly and a family we care so much about. 'For us as a club, the sense of shock is absolute. Diogo was not just our player. He was a loved one to all of us. He was a team-mate, a colleague, a workmate and in all of those roles he was very special. 'We need everyone at the club to stand together and to be there for one another. We owe this to Diogo, to Andre Silva, to their wider family and to ourselves.' According to BBC Sport, Jota was returning for pre-season training next week via ferry after being advised not to fly following minor surgery. Reds captain Virgil van Dijk said on Instragram he was 'absolutely devastated and in total disbelief.' The Dutch defender wrote in a post alongside a picture of Jota with the Premier League trophy: 'What a human being, what a player, but most importantly what an unbelievable family man. 'You meant so much to all of us and you always will! For your family to lose two sons, a husband and a father is just unimaginable. So cruel and unfair. 'My heart is breaking for all of your beautiful family, for Rute and for your kids. I promise you that in these difficult times and beyond we will always be there for your family. 'A champion forever, number 20 forever. It's been a privilege to have stood by your side on the pitch, and to have been your friend off it. 'We will miss you beyond words and never forget you. Your legacy will live on, we will make sure of it! Rest in perfect peace Diogo & Andre.' Mourners are set to gather to honour Jota at a wake in Portugal on Friday morning, a local parish priest has said. Jose Manuel Macedo, parish priest at the Igreja Matriz de Gondomar in Sao Cosme, told the PA news agency in a translated message that a wake for the brothers will take place at 8am at the nearby Capela da Ressurreicao before their funeral at the Igreja Matriz on Saturday at 10am. A five-star display from Spain 🤩 #WEURO2025 — UEFA Women's EURO 2025 (@WEURO2025) July 3, 2025 World champions Spain thrashed Portugal 5-0 in their Euro 2025 Group B opener in Bern, where there was a minute's silence ahead of kick-off in memory of Jota. Players wore black armbands, while some fans had made signs in tribute to the Liverpool forward. Esther Gonzalez fired Spain ahead with barely 90 seconds on the clock before Barcelona teenager Vicky Lopez doubled the lead in the seventh minute. La Roja scored another couple of quickfire goals just before half-time through Alexia Putellas and Gonzalez's tap-in, with substitute Cristina Martin-Prieto then heading home a fifth in stoppage time. In Thursday's other Group B match, Italy beat Belgium 1-0 in Sion through a first-half goal from Arianna Caruso. Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits he is struggling to comprehend Jota's death. Klopp, for whom his Christian faith has played a big part in his life, wrote on Instagram: 'This is a moment where I struggle! There must be a bigger purpose! But I can't see it!' The German coach, who signed Jota from Wolves in 2020, added: 'I'm heartbroken to hear about the passing of Diogo and his brother Andre. 'Diogo was not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father.' Não faz sentido. Ainda agora estávamos juntos na Seleção, ainda agora tinhas casado. À tua familia, à tua mulher e aos teus filhos, envio os meus sentimentos e desejo-lhes toda a força do mundo. Sei que estarás sempre com eles. Descansem em Paz, Diogo e André. Vamos todos sentir… — Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) July 3, 2025 Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo led the tributes to his international team-mate. 'It doesn't make sense. Just now we were together in the National Team, just now you had got married,' Ronaldo said in a post on X alongside a photo of Jota. 'To your family, your wife, and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world.' Working towards our QF clash. 😤 — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 3, 2025 Chelsea will aim to secure a place in the Club World Cup semi-finals when they come up against Palmeiras in Philadelphia on Friday night (0200 Saturday BST). Saudi side Al-Hilal are out to follow-up their shock win over Manchester City when they take on Fluminense in Orlando. At Euro 2025, England boss Sarina Wiegman will hold a press conference ahead of the holders' opening match against France in Zurich. Wales head coach Rhian Wilkinson is also set to speak to the media before the nation's first major tournament appearance, taking on the Netherlands in Lucerne. Elsewhere in Group C, Germany start their campaign against Poland in St Gallen after Denmark tackle Scandinavian rivals Sweden in Geneva.
