adminLONDON. — Arsenal are set to complete the signing of German international defender Shkodran Mustafi, with a £30million deal likely to be confirmed in the next 24 hours. Arsene Wenger has moved quickly to avert his defensive injury crisis with a fee of £20m plus a number of add-ons likely to see Mustafi swap Valencia for the Premier League. Mustafi’s agent Ali Bulut confirmed the deal, saying: “Shkodran and Arsenal agree. There are only the terms to be agreed on a transfer fee.”Wenger has been forced into the market after injuries to Per Mertesacker and Gabriel left him without a single fully-fit senior centre-back for Sunday’s Premier League opener with Liverpool. Gabriel is out for six to eight weeks after suffering an ankle injury in the 3-2 friendly victory over Manchester City last Sunday.
A no-nonsense defender, the 24-year-old Mustafi has earned a reputation with Valencia as one of the most reliable performers in La Liga.
He does have previous experience of English football but failed to cut the mustard during a three-year spell at Everton, making just a single appearance for the Toffees from the bench in a Europa League tie.
Speaking about his spell with Everton earlier this year, Mustafi said: “At the end of my time in England, I thought ‘I’m only 20, and I’m already sick of football.”’
In 2012 Mustafi left Everton to move to Italian side Sampdoria on a free transfer and his career has only progressed since then.
His time in Serie A secured him a transfer to Valencia where he has become a firm favourite with the club’s supporters.
Arsenal’s interest saw Mustafi left out of the Valencia squad for a pre-season friendly this week with the final details of his move to north London set to be ironed out before the weekend.
Mustafi’s time with Valencia also saw him establish himself as a full German international and he helped his country to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 earlier this summer. — The Daily Mail.
Online Reporter