Arsenal are reportedly edging closer to a deal that will see them beat London rivals Chelsea to the signing of Valencia defender Shkodran Mustafi. Mustafi is a transfer target for a number of European sides this summer, including Premier League teams Arsenal and Chelsea and although the latter club were the previous front runners to make a deal, the last 48 hours have seen Arsenal pull ahead.
If the bookies are to be believed, Arsenal are now odds on favourites to sign the centre back, as the Gunners odds were slashed following the increase of rumours in the last two days. Arsenal have reportedly been on the lookout to add to their defence this summer, even after the signing of Rob Holding, following on from Per Mertesacker’s injury. Mertesacker has been ruled out for 5 months with a knee injury that will mean that he is unlikely to make an appearance for the Gunners until after Christmas, meaning there is a gap in cover at centre back. The injury also puts his potential captaincy bid at Arsenal on hold, whilst his career with the Gunners may be in doubt given that he is falling in physical ability.
A defender is a major priority for both Arsenal and Chelsea this summer and both clubs also reportedly remain interested in Napoli defender Koulibaly. However given that the Italian side have just received a whopping transfer sum from Juventus for Gonzalo Higuain, I’m sure the side from Naples are in no rush to sell up anytime soon. If Arsenal are seriously contending signing another centre back this summer, a defender with quality and experience, then Mustafi may be our best bet. At a rumoured £21 million, he may not be the cheapest of the bunch but in today’s transfer market, it may be a worthwhile investment.
By AH
21 million is a bargain for Mustafi. Sign him up NOW!!!!!!
well unless Chelski are not really in for him
since when could we confidently say we could beat chelski to a Transfer(in an open bid)????
That’s how Low we have fallen!
Mustafi will definitely improve the back line. I see him being the partner to koscielny for a very very long time. And this will help chambers and holding and Gabriel settle into the role too.
Sign him up!!!
Maybe in Fifa 17, you may see that very very long partnership with Koscielny lol ?
Yes, the rumours of Mustafi coming to Arsenal seem realistic enough, with a reported medical due to take place on Sunday ( Tomorrow ) and with his current club taking on Bournemouth in a friendly on Wednesday, this date will give us fans a deadline, (if you like) to the indication of this transfer rumour, in other words, if Mustafi is included in the Valencia squad that will face Bournemouth, then I very much doubt that Arsenal will be signing him, whereas if he is omitted from the squad, then that will be positive sign that the player is being sold.
There’s no guarantee that Koscielny will still be around,
With the old news of Koscielny’s contract- extension negotiations hitting a stumbling block, (which has gone abit too quite for my likings) and with Wenger pushing for another CB, after already signing Rob Holding ( who in my opinion is more than capable of covering for Mertesacker, who himself wasn’t guaranteed first team football)
This May suggest that Koscielny is refusing to renew and therefore be sold, during this transfer window.
I hope that I’m wrong… but with Wenger’s activity for another CB when a striker was supposedly our main position that needed filling, does point to a fall out with Koscielny? ?
As always, we wait! ?
According to Sky sports:
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will give youngster Krystian Bielik the chance to break into the first-team this season after converting him into a centre-back.
Doesn’t no one else see that there’s too much attention being made to our defence, which could only suggest that Wenger is flapping to strengthen this area because he knows something that we are yet to find out! ?
Be prepared for one or two exits, with Koscielny and Bellerin being our star defenders, I fear the worst.
Take a step back and think about that!
Last season, our defence weren’t that bad, the only time that they got hammered or turned over was when they lacked discipline and concentration.
And that issue is down to the manager to sort out during match days.
It’s blatantly obvious that our main problem last year was not scoring enough goals, yet here we are strengthing our defence! ?with no real attacking force injected into our squad, yet…. which is surely where the main priority should be! ?
All I’m saying is: Do the maths and if you do it correctly, you will find that the answer equals: Wenger is bringing in replacements in defence for departures and not just for Mertesacker.
S K Y Sports reported that he has a release clause of £40m. How are we pulling it off signing him for £21m? Kris that with other add ons?
*is that with additional sign ons?
Its becuase Valencia is not doing well financially as they failed to qualify for CL. So they are willing to sell Mustafi for half the release clause reportedly.
Oooh I see.
Thanks @Roe-Hahn
did you call me?
Hahaha ? Yeah he did ??
haha 😀 by the way how do you make those smilies? 😮
All theese names all summer well sorry he won’t spend but now I’m thinking it’s not AW that won’t spend its Arsenal saying he can’t ? That yank needs to go. Look at Liverpool they haven’t won the leage in years but that Surport is tbere always it’s deafening in there stadium but Arsenal well you can hear a pin drop. Things right through the club need to change big time and to start that yank out. We have missed some great players coz they won’t spend
You have to admit that this year ita gonna be mourinho or gourdiola for the title, for 3 or 4 place its gonna be arsene versus the rest… I cant see us signing top striker even lacazette isnt one, mahrez and top cb.. So another season without the title and with more than 200 mil Arsenal cash in the bank or in the kreonke pocket..
I dont think Manu will be in the title race with their defence. Things could change if they do sign Pogba though.
Man Mahrez is absolutely vital for us to go the distance… The most important ingredient is flair and goals on both wings.Every European giant has that.
Barca – messi , neymar
Real. -bale , cr7
Bayern – robben , ribery
PSG , Lucas , di Maria
We need to get mahrez asap.
I thought the very same for a while, all the elite European giants have that in common. Balance the wings with a left and right footer and we already have the right footer in Alexis. It would have to be Mahrez or even better Griezmann.
Do Chelsea really need another CB? Even though they’re aging they have Terry and Cahill, with Zouma to come back and apparently are after Koulibaly. Not counting Chambers and Holding or even Bielek who didn’t look too bad last time out, we are more in need of another experienced CB.
I see it like this:
Terry – Meretsacker
Cahill – Koscielny
Zouma – Gabriel
Koulibaly? – Mustafi?
Even though I really hope Chambers and Holding aren’t totally neglected either. Game time needed to boost their senior experience…
Question : why are quality players snubbing ARSENAL and going to other CLUBS,
Answer : WENGER and the ARSENAL BOARD Policy’s.
I really do not think Mustafi is all that as a defender, i would rather a CB with EPL experience and cheaper, even a CB from the championship with experience and good pace.
I have heard mention of Jonny Evans, he had some amount of experience good enough pace and have good height.