Cristhian Mosquera Praises Gabriel Magalhaes And William Saliba After Arsenal Start

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Arsenal are sitting nine points clear at the top of the Premier League and remain alive in the Champions League, with Mikel Arteta's side already into the quarter-finals, and new signing Cristhian Mosquera has become a key part of that push after arriving in London from Valencia last summer.

The defender has featured 25 times across all competitions for Arsenal, starting 14 matches and contributing to five clean sheets, and Mosquera believes this impact, plus recent success with Spain, is closely linked to the backing received from central defensive partners Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.

Mosquera highlighted how strongly Gabriel and Saliba have influenced daily life at Arsenal, both on and off the pitch, stressing that their support eased the move to the Premier League and helped the defender adjust to a more physical style of football than in LaLiga with Valencia.

"I'm very happy in London and I've settled in much quicker than I thought I would," he said, as quoted by Europa Press and reported by ESPN. "From day one, the two of them [Gabriel and Saliba]have been by my side, giving me advice and always trying to look after me, like parents, like older siblings. I'm very grateful to them. They are two of the best centre-backs in the world, and it's a pleasure and a privilege to train with them and watch them play every weekend."

Mosquera explained that the physical demands of the Premier League were no surprise, as many people had warned about the intensity, and those views matched the defender's own belief that the playing style would suit the league once there was a chance to prove ability in Arteta's system.

"We all know the Premier League is a very physically demanding league, and I was already aware of that; many people had told me that, given my playing style, I'd be a good fit for the Premier League. I think that when the time came for me to step up and prove myself, I did well."

Arsenal Premier League form and Champions League hopes

Arsenal's season has also included defeat to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final before the international break, yet Mosquera feels the club is now better placed to meet expectations after several years without achieving its aims in either the Premier League or the Champions League.

"In recent years, Arsenal hasn't quite achieved what it set out to do, but I think we're ready this year," Mosquera said. "We know we have the chance to win titles. We're going to do everything we can to bring joy to the fans. In the Champions League, I think we're doing pretty well this yearwe're in the quarter-finals nowand hopefully we can go further and win it."

The defender also enjoyed a major personal step by making a debut for Spain last week, helping the European champions beat Serbia 3-0, and that appearance, combined with steady form for Arsenal, underlines how quickly Mosquera has adapted since the transfer from Valencia and how central the relationship with Gabriel and Saliba has become to progress at both club and international level.