Is Wenger really looking to replace Arsenal’s Mustafi?

Arsene Wenger could not rule out an exit for Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi this summer.

The German international joined the club from Valencia last summer in a reported £35 Million move, and endured a rocky opening campaign at the Emirates.

Mustafi did enjoy his time better as the season ran on, and impressed as part of our new back-three, but his place in the starting line-up is not guaranteed at present.

Juventus and the Milan clubs are all supposedly eyeing a move to bring him to Serie A, and when asked whether Arsene Wenger believed the defender specifically could leave the club, the Frenchman was unable to give a straight answer.

Wenger said: “It’s difficult for me to speak about any individual cases because we are now in the final seven days of the transfer market.

“It’s always very difficult to predict what will happen there. You have to make quick and sharp decisions, and you cannot plan that and come out in the press conference with how you will respond to any solicitation.”

We recently posted an article calling for Mustafi to be sold, in order to make way for a big-money move for Virgil Van Dijk from Southampton, given that the Dutch centre-half has handed in a transfer request.

Hopefully Wenger’s refusal means that he is eyeing a potential improvement on the 25 year-old, and we certainly need to invest more in the squad, having brought only two new players into the first-team squad so far this summer.

Is Mustafi an asset to our first-team squad? Is he easily replaced? Would the club stump up the required fee for VVD?

Pat J

Tags Arsenal Mustafi van dijk Wenger

27 Comments

  1. “You have to make quick decisions” – did he say this with a straight face? What about quick decisions on the deadwood in the squad with one week to go. Why are we thinking about selling in an area we’re already weak this season after 2 games. Unbelievable & going from bad to worse, when other teams are building & strengthening, we talk about contract issues, players we’ve missed and getting rid of players.

  2. Selling Mustafi will be the trigger that Arsenal fans need to make Emirates stadium the equivalent of hell on earth , the atmosphere is gonna be so toxic that the players will need to wear chemical mask on the pitch.

    1. But why? Mustafi is not even a starter any more…and given the kind of reckless sliding challenges he keeps on putting in id be happy if we could recoup the money we spent on him and buy another defender. How did Mustafi cost 35M? Can you compare him to Eric Bailly? Coz they cost the same but one of them is miles better than the other.

      1. Well at a minimum you have to question why we even bought him? Did we not scout him? Did we not make ourselves aware of his sliding challenges that you seem to think is a reason to sell him (not unlike discovering Xhaka can’t tackle as a DM – also ludicrous)? Either selling him is an admission of fault in which case you have to wonder why the mistakes (Gabrial, Perez, Mustafi) are piling up or it just erratic behavior since Mustafi never even got one season to adjust to the PL. Either scenario is unacceptable IMO.

        Here we are now playing a system that requires 3 at the back and we have sold two of our CDs late in the window. That’s mismanagement in my book.

        1. Let’s not forget Holding was relegated to the reserves after only one dodgy game where most of his team mates were dodgy. We are not exactly building up our back 3 options.

  3. Wenger’s biggest flaw will always be his blind loyalty to his players. Whether they should have retired years ago through chronic injury, or the fact they’re just plain rubbish, Wenger will keep offering the contracts! He’s just not a ruthless manager. So I cannot believe for one minute he’d ditch one the most expensive signings in our history after only one year. I could only see it happening if Mustafi himself wanted out.

    1. Just listen to yourself? So, Arsenal has suddenly become less desirable than Inter Milan. Wenger just can’t win to some. He shows ruthlessness, we moan. He goes soft, and we moan he isn’t ruthless enough.

      Anyway, I didn’t read the same meaning into this story as the writer. We all have to agree that our defenders need a kick up the backsides. If the threat of replacement is what does it, so be it.

    2. Agreed. I heard Mustafi hasnt been getting along well with our players. Heard this a couple weeks before this convo of potentially selling him

  4. You guys know that scene in a movie where the bad guy knows he his going down, but instead of go down quietly he grabs an hostage or try bring every other person down with him…that bad guy is wenger. he has made up is mind on bringing down our dear club. why do we need to Mustasfi? why can’t we buy VVD and play him alongside kos and Mustasfi? or am I missing something here.
    Anyways am wishing everyone here a good weekend. win or lose am still going to bleed red

  5. According to sky italia he wants out of Arsenal but lets just wait till transfer window closes then we can judge Wenger because i have a feeling its a false story or at least Arsenal wouldn’t allow him to go

  6. Mustafi was quoted he wants to leave for Inter, Getting Both Van Dijk and koulibaly would be fine if not getting rid of Gabriel and Mustafi in a single summer is stupidity……even if the so called van Dijk joins. we have a lot of games to play this season, well over 45 games at least is what we would be playing, injuries would definetly set in even the so called Van Dijk gets injures often as Kosceny and meteserker. but Keeping Mustafi and Adding either Koulibaly or Van Dijk is the best for back 3 formation

    1. Mustafi was never “quoted”. Show the proof.

      Enough of this, guys. We are helping the press who already want the fall of the club. ‘Nuff said.

  7. All I can do is shake my head and wonder, “what the hell is going on at AFC?”. Even if, for some reason, Mustafi were to move on, and miraculously replaced with Van Dijk (and we’d still need an additional), swapping out a key defender 3 games into the season is just asking for further unrest in the defensive line. How long would it take for a new key defender to fit into the squad?

    A lot of crap has transpired, which leaves one wondering, but if this were to happen, I think we could safely assume there is absolutely NO plan or reasoning left at the AFC; the club and its leadership flying by the seat of its pants!

  8. I don’t believe the reports. There are no reasons at all why we would consider selling Mustafi.

  9. The thing is, new defenders in EPL or at Arsenal should I say, never really settle that quickly, sometimes it takes them 2-3 seasons, like Per and Kos. Or like Gabriel who never really settle outside of football. Other examples are M Sakho who was a golden boy, now at Palace.

    Mustafi hasnt impressed me for a world cup winner in his first season, but I know it isnt easy to settle in the EPL, statistically, and just quick glance at his potential is probably the closest we have to the next Koscielny. Maybe Wenger doesnt see it. Dont get me started in Squilaci, Djourou, Silvestre, those were the days Arsenal couldnt afford big wages and signings, Wenger is considered quiet accurate judging defenders abilities, to me.

  10. 138m for Dembele

    198 for Neymar

    128m for Mbappe

    100m seems like the minimum these days for players

    so signing 3 or 4 players a season in future could cost 300 – 400m

  11. Arsenal isn’t getting VVD. We may sell Mustafi. But don’t expect to sign anyone at all. Arsenal is selling; not buying. End of story.

  12. ….yeah; you might be correct, nowadays i have learned to lower my expectations as much as possible when it comes to Arsenal’s transfer bussiness!

  13. Sorry bad for me is Mustafi not strong enough. Not fast, not big and he makes many mistakes. He is out of the German Team too I think

  14. One simple observation for me on mustafi.
    For Germany I remember thinking wow when he sprinted across the pitch to catch the winger and make an excelent tackle.
    Recently I’ve thought he lacks pace and mobility.
    Has this gone? Have some of his injuries shaken him? Could be a combination of reasons why he doesn’t fancy the pl anymore.

  15. I honestly don’t get it. The only potential problem might be if he’s fallen out with Wenger he along with Holding were two positives from last season. The other major concern I have is why he hasn’t made any obvious move to find a long term replacement for Cech, Jack Butland seems the obvious choice and he’s played really well against Arsenal last two games. We need Mustafi even if we sign another top defender we know it’s a long season and to have several players you can switch and rely on is something we will need if we manage to get back into CL next season.

  16. FFS.
    Mustafi is average.
    Play a back 3 of:
    Kos-bfg or holding- chambers.
    Chambers had a brilliant season as a cb one before last.
    Why was he loaned out last season ?
    What does he have to do to get a game?

    The rest of the team more or less picks itself:
    Across the middle :
    Sead -xhaka- Jack or ox or Rambo or santi-bellerin
    Sanchez- ozil
    Laca

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