Crystal Palace have now made an approach for Valencia centre-back Cristhian Mosquera, having scouted the defender in recent months.
The 19-year-old has been a key player for Valencia, who are currently 10th in La Liga, and has made 13 league starts this season.
At 1.91m tall, he is an imposing centre-back, who has been touted as a potential long-term replacement for Marc Guehi, with the England star linked with summer moves to several top clubs.
A summer approach did seem likely, but Palace have now sprung a surprise as it seems they are moving for the teenager in the January window.
Crystal Palace make approach for Cristhian Mosquera
A report from The Standard has revealed that Crystal Palace have made an enquiry to sign the centre-back from Valencia, who do not want to let him go.
It is unclear what kind of fee would be needed to land the defender, but given that Valencia are in a tough financial situation, if Palace are serious about their interest they stand a chance of landing him.
A centre-back is not a priority in this current window unless one of Andersen or Guehi makes a shock departure, but this could be in preparation for a summer exit for either player.
Palace need to strengthen their midfield as a priority, and are seemingly targeting loan deals, making what could be a moderately expensive January deal for Mosquera somewhat unlikely.
What could Mosquera bring to Crystal Palace?
The defender is strong in the air and on the ball, with his former Valencia youth coach Miguel-Ángel Angulo previously praising his technical and physical qualities.
“He’s characterised by a physical condition and good technical qualities, powerful in the air, and mature for his age,” he stated in 2021.
Mosquera is fairly raw, having made just 25 La Liga appearances in his career, and there would be big question marks over whether he is ready to replace one of Palace’s crucial defenders in the middle of the season.
However, in the long run, he could be a great option for the future given his physical capabilities, and with Guehi likely to depart in the summer, Mosquera could be a good value replacement with the potential to grow into a top class centre-back.
