Mosquera's presence embodies Mikel Arteta's new principles.

The announcement of the transfer of Arsenal's new defender, Cristhian Mosquera, was not surprising at all. One Arsenal fan had already spotted him with the "Gunners" players in Singapore, just a few hours before the announcement was released. Arsenal's social media team was caught off guard.

However, this did not diminish the enthusiasm within the Arsenal camp. Mosquera, 21 years old, arrived from Valencia with the status of one of the most talented young defenders in La Liga. He was officially signed for a total value of 13 million pounds sterling (Rp 286.1 billion) on Thursday (24/7/2025).

"As a 21-year-old defender, Cristhian has already demonstrated consistent performance and significant experience in La Liga. He is an intelligent player with high speed and can play on both sides (center-back). His potential is extraordinary," said Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta.

Mosquera's experience cannot be questioned. He has been a regular player for Valencia since the age of 19. Mosquera has even played 73 out of a total of 76 matches for Valencia over the last two seasons in La Liga. Of those, he started in 70 matches.

His total playing time over two seasons reached 6,394 minutes. According to Opta, this is the highest record among all players under 22 years old in the top five European leagues. Interestingly, Mosquera plays in a vital position that is usually more often entrusted to veteran and experienced players.

Arteta is known as a manager who is quite strict about the positioning of center-backs. He prefers players with a more dominant right foot to be on the right side. The same goes for the opposite side. Mosquera can play on both sides of the center-back position, and even as a wing-back, but he more frequently plays on the right side.

It is not a coincidence that the backup player from Arsenal's core defense, William Saliba, has experienced a vacancy in that position for the past two years since the departure of Rob Holding. Typically, the backup option on the right side is filled by wingbacks Jurrien Timber and Ben White or the left-footed center-back, Jakub Kiwior.

When you come with your family, you can feel the greatness of this club. -

Mosquera was intentionally brought in to cover for Saliba. Their types are almost similar, being reliable in one-on-one duels. According to The Analyst, Mosquera recorded the highest tackle success rate (76.7 percent) in La Liga last season. Meanwhile, Saliba ranked second in the Premier League (79.5 percent) in the same aspect.

The opportunity to play is the biggest concern for Mosquera. "The Cannon" already has the best core defensive duo, Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. It is very difficult to replace them, unless one of them is injured or there is a squad rotation in the domestic cup.

Just look at Gabriel's substitute, Kiwior. He only started ten times in the league last season, even though Gabriel was injured for three months. In total, he played only 1,122 minutes. A similar situation is likely to apply to Mosquera.

Mosquera is aware of the significant challenges, but he has no choice but to face them. "The opportunity arose, and I could not let it pass by. I can join a great and historic club. When you come with family, you can feel the greatness of this club," said the player of the Spanish U-21 national football team.

Mosquera is quite fortunate. He arrived at the right time. Arteta stated that ahead of the new season, he will change the principle of "player tiers" that was used in previous seasons. In this principle, players are categorized into "tier one," "tier two," and "tier three."

Key players, such as Saliba and Gabriel, fall into the "level one" category. They will be prioritized as starting players when available. "Level two" consists of backup players used in squad rotation. Specifically, "level three" is reserved for players deployed in emergency situations.

According to Arteta, that principle is no longer relevant. "The game has evolved. There is a demand for us to play 70 to 75 matches per season. Ultimately, we have to form a squad like other teams. No one knows who will be fielded in the next match," he said.

In the new season, no player is guaranteed a starting position. The eleven starting players will be determined on the match day based on conditions, performance trends, and tactical needs. The manager will not retain a starting player solely because of a victory in the previous match.

That is the main reason Arsenal brought in Mosquera. They want at least two players in each position. The quality gap between the two players should not be too far apart. This is because players will compete for the starting position every week.

Mosquera is very likely to provide fierce competition to Saliba. Moreover, if the player, who stands at 191 centimeters tall, can improve his aerial duel abilities. Both Mosquera and Saliba are similarly less dominant in heading contests. (AP/AFP)