Cristhian Mosquera has opened up about his summer move to Arsenal, addressing the disappointment expressed by Valencia fans over his departure.
The young defender joined Valencia’s academy at the age of 12 and went on to make 82 senior appearances for Los Murciélagos, scoring his first and only goal for the club in February. Although he did not win silverware at club level, Mosquera was part of Spain’s U23 squad that claimed gold at the Paris Olympics last year.
Many supporters were unhappy to see a homegrown talent leave, but Mosquera hopes they will come to understand his decision.
“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,” he explained.
He went on to stress his gratitude toward the club and its fans:
“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 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 a year left on his contract when Arsenal moved for him. Had the Gunners waited until next summer, they could have signed him on a free transfer. Instead, the club chose to act early, ensuring Valencia received a fee for their academy graduate.
