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Arsenal are hoping to complete the signing of Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia this week in a deal that could take their summer spending past £200m.
Negotiations with Valencia over the 21-year-old defender have been ongoing since an initial offer of £14m including bonuses was rejected this month. It is understood an agreement has been struck for Arsenal to pay an initial £13m plus up to £3.5m in bonuses.
Mikel Arteta’s squad are due to fly to Singapore for the first leg of their Asian tour on Saturday and there is a chance that Mosquera – who represented Spain at this summer’s European Under-21 Championship but is also eligible to play for Colombia – could complete his move in time to join his new teammates. Mosquera was identified as Arsenal’s main target to provide competition for William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães after establishing himself as a first choice for Valencia over the past two seasons.
His deal means Arsenal have committed to spending potentially more than £200m on players since March’s appointment of the sporting director, Andrea Berta. They are also poised to announce the signing of Noni Madueke from Chelsea for up to £52m and have agreed a deal with Sporting for Viktor Gyökeres, with the total package for the Sweden striker potentially worth £64m.
Arsenal have confirmed the arrivals of Martín Zubimendi from Real Sociedad for about £55m, Christian Nørgaard from Brentford for up to £12m and Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea for £5m. They remain interested in Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace but have yet to make an official approach for the England forward, who has a £67.5m release clause.
It is understood Arsenal are hoping to offload some fringe players as Arteta continues to shape his squad, with Leandro Trossard attracting interest from Bayern Munich and Fenerbahce. Jakub Kiwior – who deputised for the injured Gabriel at the end of last season but could find himself down the pecking order given Mosquera’s arrival – Fábio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Oleksandr Zinchenko are among others facing uncertain futures.
Wolves are poised to sign one of the stars of the Club World Cup in Fluminense’s Jhon Arias. The Colombian winger, who impressed as the Brazilian club exited in the semi-finals to the eventual winners Chelsea, will cost about £15m. Arias will boost Vítor Pereira’s attacking ranks after the £62.5m departure of Matheus Cunha and is in line to become Wolves’ second summer signing after the £19.5m arrival of Fer López from Celta Vigo.
Jørgen Strand Larsen, who scored 14 Premier League goals last season, has also signed from Vigo after his loan move was made permanent.
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