Good day Gooners!
We have been (well, pretty much, all of us generating news on the internet, that is!) spectacularly busy trying to follow transfer stories surrounding Arsenal for some time now, and with less than 2 weeks remaining in the transfer market, it seems now that Arsenal might be closing in on a 3rd signing in about 48 hours.
Well, at least according to Italian journalist Emanuele Giulianelli, whose word has been quoted all over the internet and across all Arsenal news networks and beyond. As cited by The Telegraph in their regular transfer news update, Giulianelli had this to say on twitter:
+++ Arsenal: looks like Mustafi will be agreed tomorrow. Club were waiting to see if injury would heal as expected. Looks to be €30m #afc
— Emanuele Giulianelli (@EmaGiulianelli) August 18, 2016
He additionally confirmed that Mustafi’s medical has been scheduled for Monday:
Mustafi medicals with Arsenal expected to be on Monday. #afc
— Emanuele Giulianelli (@EmaGiulianelli) August 18, 2016
This is not the first time Giulanelli has tweeted saying such a thing. He is definitely someone who has made plenty of statements with a tone of finality in them, especially surrounding Arsenal.
A report in The Daily Star also suggests that Mustafi is destined to move from Valencia in the summer. The report quotes the German International’s father claiming that his son will move and that ‘two or more’ clubs are interested in him.
The report quoted his father saying the following:
“Very soon you will know about the future of Mustafi.”
“Two or more clubs are in negotiations.”
Daily Star’s report, dated 18th August, cites Mustafi’s father making a claim suggestive of some other club rivaling Arsenal for his son’s signature. If that is the case, Giulianelli’s tweet today could be perceived as a confirmation that Arsenal, who would have learned of this competition in the last 24 hours, are possibly trying to fast-track a deal for the defender.
It is clear that Arsenal are in the most urgent need of a new defender, while many observers have claimed that Manchester United too could do with another center back.
In the season that saw the arrival of Alexis, Mathieu Debuchy, Calum Chambers, David Ospina and Danny Welbeck, Arsenal were so short on the central defender front that Nacho Monreal played most of his early games as a central defender. Debuchy too, was given the challenge of playing in that position.
The Arsenal faithful, all across the globe have their fingers crossed that this should not repeat again. Let’s pray hard and loud that Giulianelli is right!!