Arsenal have made an offer for the ‘next Iniesta’ just hours before their game against Leeds.
Arsenal are reportedly making a move for an exciting young talent who has caught the eye of some of the biggest clubs around the world.
After a long three-week international break, the Premier League is back, and reigning champions Arsenal are set to welcome Leeds United to the Emirates for the weekend’s opening match.
But it seems Arsenal didn’t take a break during the pause; reports say they’ve already made an offer to sign Mexican wonderkid Gilberto Mora just hours before the Leeds game.
During the summer, Arsenal spent about £209 million bringing in key players like Bruno Guimaraes, Ezri Konsa, and Christos Tzolis.
Looking ahead to the winter transfer window, opening on Friday, January 1, 2027, and closing a month later, Arsenal are expected to be busy strengthening their squad again as they aim to defend their title.
It looks like they may have already found their first signing. According to Mexican news outlet El Porvenir, Arsenal have started talks with Mexican club Tijuana about signing Mora in January.
The 17-year-old attacking midfielder is seen by many as a true wonderkid and has drawn interest from big clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, and Benfica.
Mora’s current contract with Tijuana reportedly includes a $28 million (£20.7 million) release clause, which could make the transfer easier to complete once the window opens.
Last summer, Mora made history as the youngest player ever to play for Mexico at a World Cup, which no doubt caught the attention of major clubs worldwide.
“The sky’s the limit for him,” said Mexico’s head coach Javier Aguirre after Mora helped Mexico win a CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-final match. “He’s got loads of talent and he’s Mexican, so we’re very lucky to have him.”
Despite being so young, Mora is already a regular in Tijuana’s first team, with 62 appearances, 15 goals, and 3 assists so far.
“What impressed me most was how he controls the ball while turning,” former Tijuana coach Juan Carlos Osorio said last year. He even compared Mora to Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta, showing just how highly the young star is regarded.