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Journalist: Arsenal to table formal bid for German star on Tuesday

By on August 8, 2016

Italian journalist Emanuele Giulianelli claims that Arsenal will finally table a formal offer for Valencia defender Shkodran Musafi on Tuesday.

Arsene Wenger is desperately trying to sign a new top class centre-back before the start of the season after Gabriel joined Per Mertesacker on the sidelines having suffered what appears to be a serious ankle injury against Manchester City last night.

Mustafi has emerged as a prime target in recent weeks with Sky Sports News reporting last month that we had opened formal talks with Valencia over a potential deal for the 24-year-old.

The news outlet suggested that the La Liga club would be prepared to do business at around £25m, despite Mustafi’s buyout clause being set at £42m, while the Sun claimed last Friday that Arsenal were set to meet with Valencia’s directors to thrash out a deal after Wenger had given the green light to signing the player.

It looks like the next few days are going to be important as Italian journalist Emanuele Giulianelli – who works for Gazaette dello Sports – claims that a formal offer will now be put on the table tomorrow [Tuesday].

He tweeted:

Giulianelli has previously indicated that our opening bid of £19.5m will be submitted once Valencia agree a deal for Raul Albiol – who they’ve supposedly identified as Mustafi’s replacement.

So we’ll have to wait and see how things develop over the next 24-48 hours but you’d expect Wenger will be busy this week trying to bring in another central defender before the big kick off this weekend.

We’re set to welcome Liverpool to the Emirates on Sunday for our first game of the season without our three first choice centre-backs and unless we bring someone else in, the boss will have to start youngsters Rob Holding and Calum Chambers at the heart of our defence.

The only alternative would be to move Nacho Monreal in to the middle and play Kieran Gibbs at left-back but neither option is particularly appealing. So let’s pray we manage to get a deal agreed for Mustafi, or another top class centre-back, ASAP!