Arsenal are reportedly close to agreeing on a deal with Valencia for Mustafi and the move is expected to complete by mid of next week, according to reliable Italian journalist Emanuele Giulianelli.
Some reports early yesterday stated that the defender has agreed personal terms with the North London club and the transfer fee with Valencia is under discussion. Here is the tweet.
Arsenal club fully expects Mustafi deal to be complete by mid week next week. #afc
— Emanuele Giulianelli (@EmaGiulianelli) August 12, 2016
He further added that the deal with the Spanish club is expected to be finalized by Monday with medical planned for Tuesday or Wednesday, while also confirming that the announcement isn’t expected before next Friday.
I personally expect the fee to be agreed Mon and medical Tue or Wed. Can't imagine Arsenal announcing it before Thu or Fri. #afc
— Emanuele Giulianelli (@EmaGiulianelli) August 12, 2016
Mustafi’s agent also confirmed a deal is getting closer, with Arsenal only needing to agree on a fee with Valencia(around £28m) to complete the move.
German centre-back Per Mertesacker is reportedly facing up to five months out with a knee injury. Laurent Koscielny is also set to miss the start of the season following his Euro 2016 exploits with France while Gabriel Paulista is also out for at least 3 months.
Calum Chambers and new signing Rob Holding are now the only available central defenders in the Arsenal squad, and Wenger will have no choice but to dip into the market to bring someone else on board.
Mustafi started his football career with German club Hamburger SV as a youth prodigy and then went on to spend three years at Everton with the Under-21 and senior teams (where he made just one appearance), before a successful spell at Italian club Sampdoria which earned him a move to Valencia.
The 12 times capped Germany international, who scored at Euro 2016, is under contract at the Mestalla until 2019.
Mustafi had himself a great year at Valencia. At just 24 years of age, he proved to be one of the best defenders in the world, averaging 4.4 interceptions and 2.7 tackles per appearance last season. Not only that, Mustafi is also an aerial menace, similar to what Per Mertesacker once was.
He has consistently won almost three aerial duels a game and as we saw at the Euros, this aerial ability has translated into shots from set-pieces, Shots leading to goals. This could give Arsenal another option on the offensive ; one that can help them deliver goals from places where they rarely ever find them – set-pieces.
Mustafi has also emerged on the transfer radar of Chelsea recently, and so Arsenal must sneak in and make things interesting. We do not know how long Mertesacker is out for, but even with him back in shape, Arsenal are certainly in need of a new defender.
Mertesacker’s and Gabriel’s injury should merely push the issue. Rob Holding is a fantastic future option but Mustafi is clearly a more experienced and proven player, a present day contender for that second central defensive role. Let us hope that we get the reported £28m Mustafi deal done sooner than later so that our bid to attain Premier League glory this season ends in a fruitful manner.
