Arsenal are in talks to bring in Shkodran Mustafi following Per Mertesacker’s knee injury, reports the Independent.
The Gunners are desperate to sign the Valencia centre-back, despite not having had long to consider their defensive targets.
Arsene Wenger wasn’t planning on signing anyone at the back, but Mertesacker being ruled out until at least Christmas has thrown his plans up in the air.
Mustafi is a German international, valued at around £21million, although he has a release clause in his contract of double that.
Valencia may choose to play hardball given that earlier this summer, Arsenal turned down the chance to sign the player.
And yet, it seems a deal in the coming weeks is very possible, as Wenger needs to bring in the 24-year-old before the start of the new Premier League season in two weeks’ time.
According to the same source, there remains doubt over whether Laurent Koscielny will play the first few games of the campaign, after an exhausting summer in which his national side, France, reached the final of Euro 2016.
All that leaves Wenger in a very difficult situation as it’s not expected new signing Rob Holding will initially make the first team’s defence.
Wenger’s doubters will slam a potential lack of foresight in allowing the North Londoners to get themselves in this position, but he can appease them by resolving it with the Mustafi signing.
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