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Journalist: Defender to undergo Arsenal medical ahead of £26m move

By mac14 on August 19, 2016

According to quotes in the Daily Star, Italian journalist Emanuele Giulianelli claims that Shkodran Mustafi will undergo his medical with Arsenal on Monday ahead of a £25.9m move from Valencia.

As you’ll all know, Arsene Wenger has made signing a new centre-back his priority after both Gabriel and Per Mertesacker were ruled out with serious injuries in pre-season.

Mustafi has been widely reported to be the bosses main target and it looked like a deal was on the cards after the players agent was quoted in the Metro as saying last week that we’d agreed personal terms with the 24-year-old.

The big problem was agreeing a fee with Valencia but it looks like a deal is now on the verge of completion as the Daily Star quote Italian journalist Emanuele Giulianelli as saying that a £25.9m deal will go through as long as Mustafi’s injury isn’t anything serious.

The German international has missed training this week after seemingly picking up a knock but it’s thought to be a minor issue and Giulianelli says that the deal will happen today as long as we get the assurances we want.

As long as there are no problems, Mustafi expected to undergo his medical on Monday. The journalist is quoted as saying by the Daily Star last night:

“Arsenal: looks like Mustafi will be agreed tomorrow [Friday]”

“Club were waiting to see if injury would heal as expected. Looks to be €30m (£25.9m) #afc.”

“Mustafi medicals with Arsenal expected to be on Monday.”

So it looks like the deal is on, right? Well, not exactly as Giulianelli has a mixed record when it comes to transfer news – although I suppose you could say the same about any journalist to be fair.

I’d personally not look too much in to these claims and wait for some concrete news to come out. We’ve seen a lot of bold claims being made by journalists about when this supposed transfer will go through so let’s be cautious.

MORE: Wenger offers update on pursuit of Mustafi & Lacazette

However, you’d like to think Arsenal will get a deal agreed for Mustafi – or any other centre-back – soon as the transfer window closes in less than two weeks and we still also need to sign a striker before the end of the month.