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Arsenal told they can sign German star in cut-price £21m deal
According to reports in Spain via the Metro, Valencia have told Arsenal they can sign German centre-back Shkodran Mustafi in a cut-price £21m deal this summer.
Arsene Wenger confirmed last night that he is in the market for another central defender after Per Mertesacker was ruled out for five months with a serious knee injury that he suffered against Lens on Friday.
The boss told Arsenal.com:
‘With Per being out, we are a bit short on the experience front and we are looking to bring somebody in,’
Mustafi has emerged as a potential target with the Daily Star reporting earlier this week that we’d opened talks over a possible deal for the German international.
The Metro are now citing reports coming from Spanish outlet COPE that claim Valencia have informed Arsenal officials that we can sign the 24-year-old in a cut-price deal worth £20.9m (€25m).
Mustafi has reportedly got a £41.8m (€50m) buyout clause in his contract but the newspaper suggests that Valencia are willing to cash-in on the defender as they need to balance their books this summer.
Who knows how much truth there is behind these reports but if true, Wenger could be tempted as Mustafi at £20.9m would represent a decent deal in today’s overly-inflated transfer market.
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The German is predominantly a centre-back but he’s also capable of playing at right-back if needed so I think he’d be a very useful signing if we decide to press ahead with this potential deal.