Arsenal are making quiet but significant strides in their pursuit of Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

> “Behind the scenes, Arsenal have been working very well on Mosquera,” Romano revealed. “The player sees Arsenal as the ideal step for his career — and he’s eager to join.”

Despite knowing he’d be up against top-tier competition in Gabriel and William Saliba, Mosquera isn’t backing down.

> “What I’m hearing is that Mosquera is not afraid of the challenge. He wants to be there,” Romano added.

The Gunners could reportedly seal the deal for a fee in the region of €20m to €25m, making the 19-year-old defender a serious target in Arsenal’s long-term defensive plans.