Cristhian Mosquera makes honest Arsenal transfer admission following Valencia backlash

Arsenal paid £13m plus add-ons for Cristhian Mosquera (Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal defender Cristhian Mosquera has explained how he wished his summer transfer move from Valencia had played out.

The 21-year-old centre-back joined the Gunners this summer in a deal worth £13m plus add-ons . Mosquera was a top target for Mikel Arteta as the Spanish manager looked to reinforce his defensive unit.

It was clear Mosquera was sad to leave Valencia, the club he had played for for almost a decade. The move was criticised by many for not being handled properly by both the player and the club.

The young defender spoke to Spanish radio station Cadena SER about the transfer and how he wished things had been different.

He said: “Obviously, when you leave what has been your home, you would like things to be a little different. Both the statement and the things that have come out.

Cristhian Mosquera joined Valencia at 12-years-old (Image: Ivan Terron/Europa Press via Getty Images)

"I’ll never speak ill of Valencia because I am a Valencia fan, and it is 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 some who understand that and others who don’t.

"I’m at peace because whenever I wore the Valencia shirt, I gave it my all.”

Mosquera joined Valencia's youth team at 12 years old. He went on to make 82 appearances for Los Murcielagos and scored his first and only goal for the team in February this year.

Although he hasn’t tasted trophy success at club level, Mosquera was part of Spain's gold medal-winning U23 side at last year’s Paris Olympics.

Many Valencia fans were disappointed to see their home-grown talent depart, but amid the confusion over Mosquera's move to Arsenal, the young defender hopes fans can understand the summer switch.

He continued: “I understand that it’s a bit complicated for them, that they want the home players to stay at home… but football is a bit like that.

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

"...I was happy in Valencia, I was happy, and I knew that if I stayed, I would continue to be happy. But I was clear that if I ever had to leave, it wouldn’t be by leaving for free from the club that had given me everything. I wanted to make that gesture for the team.”

Mosquera had less than 12 months left on his Valencia contract when Arsenal signed him and would have been available for free had the Gunners waited until next summer to secure his services.