Arsenal is said to have come to a verbal agreement to sign a centre-back valued at £22 million, while Dean Huijsen is expected to transfer to Real Madrid.
The Gunners have reportedly agreed in principle to acquire Joel Ordonez, a 20-year-old Ecuadorian defender from Club Brugge, as they aim to bolster their defense ahead of the new season.
Following Huijsen’s potential departure, Arsenal is looking to bring in a young defender who can develop within their ranks. Ordonez has caught their eye thanks to his strong physical presence and maturity on the pitch.
Though the estimated transfer fee is around £25 million, Arsenal still needs to finalize negotiations with Club Brugge. Complicating matters, Paris Saint-Germain has recently expressed interest in the player.
Arsenal is eager to secure a promising young centre-back to complement their current defensive options and is moving swiftly to complete the deal.
The fee for Ordonez is believed to be near £25 million (Transfermarkt values him at £22.7 million), which would represent a sensible investment given his potential and current role in Club Brugge’s first team.
While personal terms with the player may be tentatively agreed upon, the club must still finalize terms with Brugge.
With new competition from PSG, Arsenal needs to act quickly and decisively to clinch the signing.
Clearly, the club is intent on adding a young central defender this summer who can develop alongside established players like William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães.
Although it remains to be seen if Ordonez will be the right fit, Arsenal is actively leading the chase.
Having missed out on Huijsen, Arsenal now appears set to sign either Mosquera or Ordonez—both potentially more affordable but less experienced options than the Spanish defender.
Investing less in the centre-back position may allow Arsenal to allocate more funds to strengthening their attack
