Arteta Calms Mosquera Concerns and Targets Late Transfer Market Push

Mikel Arteta moved quickly to calm concerns over Cristhian Mosquera after the defender limped off in Arsenal’s win over Aston Villa – and then turned his attention straight to a frantic final day in the transfer market.

Mosquera had been central to one of Arsenal’s slickest moves of the night, threading a pass through the lines that released Eberechi Eze and Riccardo Calafiori and cracked Villa open. It was the kind of brave, vertical ball Arteta demands from his back line, and it helped tilt the contest Arsenal’s way.

Then came the scare. With around ten minutes of normal time left, Mosquera reached for the back of his leg and signalled to the bench. Arteta did not hesitate. On came Ezri Konsa for his debut, and against his former club no less, adding a sharp subplot to the closing stages.

Any fears of a serious setback, though, were quickly played down by the Arsenal manager.

“He is fine,” Arteta said. “But he was feeling like he was about to have something. That’s why we have the bench that we have, that’s why we had to bring Ezri on.”

The change underlined a wider theme of Arteta’s night: depth. Arsenal are still looking for more of it, especially in the final third. Lyon winger Malick Fofana is the latest attacking option under consideration as the club weigh up one last move before the window closes.

“We are trying to improve the squad, and until tomorrow night we're going to try to do that,” Arteta said. “I've been disconnected from the world for 24 hours, because I think my energy and focus has to be on the match, and I will get back on it now.”

The departures in forward areas have sharpened the question: do Arsenal truly have enough firepower and cover for what lies ahead? Arteta’s answer was blunt and conditional.

“It depends if everybody's fit or not,” he replied. “We can talk about today, but that scenario might change.”

He pointed to the recent absence of Willy Saliba as a warning sign and a lesson. One injury at the back, and Arsenal felt exposed.

“We knew that with Willy out, we had an injury in the back line. We knew we were in big trouble, so we had to do everything,” Arteta said. “And today, Mosquera, he could not continue. So we know that the depth has to be really big when you're fighting for four competitions, in the manner that we play as well. So we're going to try to do that.”

Mosquera is fine for now. The bigger question is whether Arsenal’s squad will look the same once Deadline Day chaos settles – or whether Arteta gets the extra firepower he clearly wants for a season that will not forgive thin margins.