Arsenal FC: Cristhian Mosquera reveals concerns over how summer transfer played out

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Arsenal: Cristhian Mosquera reveals concerns over how summer transfer played out

The young defender left Valencia this summer after refusing to sign a new contract

New chapter: Cristhian Mosquera

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Cristhian Mosquera wishes his move to Arsenal could have played out differently this summer.

The defender joined the Gunners from Valencia in July as part of a deal worth an initial fee of around £13million.

Mosquera’s decision to leave prompted a backlash from some Valencia fans, who were upset that the 21-year-old was leaving the club after coming through their academy.

The centre-back had one year left on his contract and was refusing to sign a new deal, so Valencia elected to sell him this summer instead of losing him for free in 12 months’ time.

“It’s clear that when you leave what has been your home, you would like everything to be a little different - both the statement and the things that have come out,” Mosquera told Spanish radio station Cadena SER.

“I’m never going to speak badly of Valencia because I'm a Valencianista, and it’s a club that has given me everything.

“I would have liked it to have been a little different, but sometimes in football you have to look out for yourself, and there will be parts that you understand and others that you don’t. I’m calm because every time I put on the Valencia shirt, I gave everything.

“I understand it's a bit complicated for (Valencia fans), they want the home players to stay at home ... but football is a bit like that.

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“Valencia is the club that gave me the opportunity to be a footballer and I will always be grateful, and to the fans too because they’ve always given me incredible support. I’m just another Valencia fan, but I ask them to understand.”

Debut: Cristhian Mosquera

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Mosquera has made a strong start to his Arsenal career and he excelled off the bench last week at Anfield.

The centre-back was thrown on after just five minutes following an injury to William Saliba, but he held his own.

“I’m feeling pretty good, but it’s true that the game is different from La Liga,” he said. “There’s more back and forth, it’s more direct ... when you go into games you have to prepare yourself for what's coming, but it’s crazy.”

Mosquera was a regular at Valencia, but he will have to fight Gabriel, Saliba and new signing Piero Hincapie for minutes at Arsenal.

“I have good players there, but when I made the change I knew I was joining one of the best teams in the world, with the best players - that I would have to compete and it wouldn’t be easy,” he said.

“[Mikel] Arteta is very happy with me, he’s very close and is helping me a lot with the coaching staff. You arrive somewhere new and you have to adapt quickly to a new playing system.”

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