Arsenal fans have been crying out for a new defensive signing for years now and Wenger finally seems to have heeded their calls. It has not all gone quite according to plan, though. After agreeing personal terms with Shkodran Mustafi, Arsenal were unable to see eye to eye with Valencia regarding a fee and the deal was thought to have broken down.
After a 4-3 defeat to Liverpool though, Arsenal's desperate need for a leader at the back was highlighted again and negotiations resumed. Finally, a deal worth about £35m is expected to be completed soon and Mustafi could be an Arsenal player by the end of the week.
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Mustafi was one of Valencia’s most consistent performers last season and with injuries to Mertesacker and Gabriel, the 24-year-old German will have to bring that form to England if Arsenal are to challenge for the Premier League title.
Also read: Arsenal on the verge of signing Deportivo's Lucas Perez and Valencia's Shkodran Mustafi
Here are 5 facts that all Arsenal fans should know about their possible new signing
1) Mustafi is a World Cup winner
Mustafi, aged 24, already has bags of big game experience. He also has a World Cup medal to boot. The centre-half was a late replacement in Germany’s 2014 World Cup squad but played a major role in helping them lift the trophy. Mustafi would have to thank Marco Reus for that opportunity though as the Borussia Dortmund attacker sustained a pre-tournament injury causing him to miss the tournament and the defender was named as his replacement.
Mustafi had earned just 1 cap prior to his escapades in the World Cup but made 2 substitute appearances in the Group stages. He also started the game against Algeria but was ruled out of the tournament after that match due to a thigh injury. Mustafi has 12 international caps to date. He also scored the opening goal for Germany in their 2-1 win against Ukraine in this summer's Euro 2016.
2) This will not be Mustafi’s first time in England
Most of you probably won't know this but Mustafi was a part of Everton's academy before David Moyes lost faith in him and shipped him out to Sampdoria where he made a name for himself. Mustafi spent 3 years (from 2009 to 2012) at Everton but made just a single appearance for the club in their Europa league game against BATE Borisov.
One of the biggest challenges for a new arrival at the Premier League is adapting to the country, the culture, and lifestyle and the way the game is played. Mustafi, though, shouldn't have that problem and would be expected to settle in from the get go, unlike Gabriel.
The Brazilian who struggled to find his feet for at least half the season after arriving in January is still finding it extremely difficult to adjust to Premier League football and this is where Mustafi would be expected to have an advantage.
3) His playing style is extremely similar to Koscielny’s
Shkodran Mustafi has an extremely similar playing style to Laurent Koscielny. Relying on pace and positioning, Mustafi is a brilliant reader of the game and should form a perfect partnership with the Frenchman.
Although not the most physical of defenders out there, Mustafi relies on well-timed tackles and interceptions to win the ball back from the opposition. Last season he made a stunning 133 interceptions from 30 games, 6 more than Koscielny.
Like Koscielny, he is also technically adept and can find outlets through perfectly placed long passes. Despite such qualities, Mustafi is not averse to launching into challenges and is a complete all round defender. Highly reliable at the back, Mustafi would provide Arsenal with the backbone hey have lacked ever since the departure of Patrick Vieira.
4) He traces his heritage back to Albania, similar to Granit Xhaka
Mustafi possesses a similar background as Arsenal’s other new signing Granit Xhaka. The 24-year-old was born to Albanian parents in Bad Hersfeld in central Germany. He also stated before the 2014 World Cup that he felt extremely connected to his country of birth.
“Albanian was always spoken at home and we ate Albanian food,” he said. “I feel more Albanian than German, even though I was born there, but there was never a question of playing for Albania.”
Xhaka also traces his roots back to Albania. His parents are from Kosovo but moved to Switzerland where Granit was born. Although Granit represents Switzerland, his brother Taulant plies his trade for Albania.
5) He possesses great aerial prowess
Mustafi stands at 6ft and is a major threat from set pieces. A majority of his 6 league goals for Valencia have come from headers. Last season, the German won 73% of his aerial duels, a better percentage than Gabriel and Koscielny combined. Germans will also remember his towering header against Ukraine which got their campaign underway in the 2016 Euros.
Currently, Mertesacker is Arsenal's only aerial threat and, with him injured, Mustafi would be expected to play a major role in set pieces, both defensively and offensively.
