In less than a month, Arsenal has once again succeeded in snatching a major deal that was on Real Madrid’s radar, this time thanks to speed and decisiveness.
Real Madrid had been looking to sign Martin Zubimendi for the past few months, and then entered negotiations last month with the appointment of Xabi Alonso. However, the player ultimately chose to join Arsenal and honor his previous agreement with the English club.
In recent days, the name of center-back Cristian Mosquera has emerged as a potential option for Real Madrid, but this summer, when his contract with Valencia expires, Arsenal quickly secured the deal.
After Zubimendi, Arsenal signs former Real Madrid star and is close to two major deals
Arsenal and Mosquera reach an agreement
Arsenal’s management has reached an agreement with Mosquera for an immediate transfer to the London club, and the player has accepted the generous offer he received from the Gunners in the past few hours.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Arsenal has already begun negotiations with Valencia officials, hoping to reach an agreement soon on the value of the deal and finalize it officially.
🚨🔴⚪️ Arsenal have reached full agreement on personal terms with Christian Mosquera.
New proposal set to be submitted after opening bid worth €14m got rejected by Valencia.
Arsenal hope to get the deal done for fee in excess of €20m, talks underway. 🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/mezDq6j2wc
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 29, 2025
Arsenal submitted an offer of €14 million to Valencia, but it was rejected. Negotiations between the two parties will resume within a few hours, and the English club is confident they can close the deal for a maximum of €20 million.
Valencia’s management has no objection to selling the promising Spanish defender this summer rather than losing him for free next year, but they want to achieve the greatest possible economic profit. Arsenal appears willing to do so, especially given Mikel Arteta’s insistence on signing the 21-year-old.
Real Madrid’s Future Centerback Options Are Narrowing
Real Madrid has no intention of making a move for Mosquera this summer. The club believes that signing Dejan Huijsen is sufficient, given the presence of Antonio Rüdiger and Éder Militao, and that any new signings for the centerback position will only be possible in the summer of 2026.
Mosquera was an ideal choice for Real Madrid. He is young, has international experience with Spain’s youth teams, and is expected to become one of the world’s top defenders in the coming years. However, in the end, Los Blancos lost out to Arsenal once again.
In practice, Real Madrid’s options for centerback bolstering this summer are now limited. They will now focus solely on signing Ibrahima Konate or William Saliba. The cost of signing either of them, even for free, will undoubtedly be much higher than Mosquera.
Saliba is Real Madrid’s dream, and Konate is a reality
It’s worth noting that Spanish media outlets have repeatedly emphasized that William Saliba is the personal dream of Madrid president Florentino Pérez, but a deal is unlikely given that Arsenal is willing to offer him a lucrative salary to convince him to renew his contract, which expires in the summer of 2026.
Meanwhile, Ibrahima Konate remains the most realistic option, especially after recent reports that the French international prefers Real Madrid and will not renew his contract with Liverpool.
