Finally a CB with a full beard at Arsenal.

The rest is a formality I guess? Great news if this gets done before the Liverpool game, to calm the fans more than anything else.

Not actually sure about him - not seen enough of him and youtube vids can be deceptive.

He's not the physical powerhouse I would have preferred but he's highly rated and a German international so I guess I'll go with it.

Which other players are similar to him?

We talking Ayala?

Ramos possibly?

Mustafi's agent: “Shkodran and Arsenal have agreed. Now all is needed is for the teams to agree on a transfer fee.”

Can he start on Sunday?

Doubt it, even if it's done tomorrow somehow and registered in time for the game, and it doesn't sound like it's that close, it'd still leave him with just a days training. Setting him up to have a nightmare debut.

I wouldn't even rush Kos back, need to trust Chambers/Holding in my opinion.

i think we're pushing to have him in the line-up, but its touch and go as he's missed all of preseason for valencia

glad this looks to be done though. i really couldnt hack watching us muddle along with gabby and per for another season

This won't be done until next week.

I'd imagine agreeing the fee would be the hardest part.

goon wrote:

Doubt it, even if it's done tomorrow somehow and registered in time for the game, and it doesn't sound like it's that close, it'd still leave him with just a days training. Setting him up to have a nightmare debut.

I wouldn't even rush Kos back, need to trust Chambers/Holding in my opinion.

I was only joking. I'd hold off on Kos too.

Tambourine Man wrote:

I'd imagine agreeing the fee would be the hardest part.

usually the buyer will give a an indicative offer when asking the selling club for permission to speak with a player, so the selling club knows theyre at least reasonably serious. i doubt we'd be that far off from agreeing a final fee

@lorddulaarsenal wrote:

Everton reject?

he was only a teenager tbf

Mustafi was thrown out by Moyes tbf. The man who said the jury is still out on Özil after his blistering start to last season.

Should have got Manolas.

Can't sign a player Roma won't sell.

Supposedly Barca have first option on Manolas with the Vermaelen loan deal. We should have done something similar with Szczesny.

I know a couple of you have raved about Mustafi previously, any chance you could give the run down on him? Seen a bit of him at the Euros and a few vids on YouTube and liked what I saw, but just how good is he? What we getting exactly?

How quick is he?

How mazy are his runs?

What are his goal celebrations like?

He beats Kos in most defensive stat categories but trails him in passing. I can live with that.

[video=vimeo]

Mustafi's only start at the Euros agaisnt Ukraine.

He's incredibly aggressive, borderline rash even. Apparently he has more interceptions than any other player in La Liga in the past two years; Arsene's kind of defender.

Good, I like aggressive defenders. I can live with the odd mistake.

Looked unthinkable that we would sign such a good central defender just 2 months ago at the euros when a couple of us wishlisted him. Personally think for 25m, this is excellent business for us and he can be a mainstay in our defence for years. We have been calling out for a commanding defender and we have finally gotten him. Extremely strong in the air, proactive interceptor, mostly no nonsense. What's not to love?

We have now got a good mix of central defenders. I hope we send our young ones out on loan and keep the 4 senior ones once their injuries are out of the way. This way we can have a proper transition.

Clrnc wrote:

We have now got a good mix of central defenders. I hope we send our young ones out on loan and keep the 4 senior ones once their injuries are out of the way. This way we can have a proper transition.

That'd be ideal. Loan one now and one in Jan (assuming Mert is recovering as planned and we have no other new issues).

Premier League strikers won't know what's hit them next season! 😆

Sicario wrote:

What is his ethnicity?

Albanian

Ricky1985 wrote:

Premier League strikers won't know what's hit them next season! 😆

Germans, man.  😆

Ricky1985 wrote:

Premier League strikers won't know what's hit them next season! 😆

Even better with sound. These guys 😆

Looks class in that Ukraine match vid. Just looks like he knows what he needs to do. Seems agile too

He's a better version of Gabriel. We should sell Gabriel when he's back fit.

From the Telegraph.co.uk

Arsenal's move for Shkodran Mustafi appears to be in doubt, with Super Deporte claiming the player's dad has revealed there is no deal between the clubs or with his son.

These had been suggestions Mustafi would be signing in the next 48 hours, follow comments from the Valencia defender's alleged agent, Ali Bulut, that talks are at an advanced stage.

However, Super Deporte has dropped a seemingly massive bombshell... that Mustafi's dad is in fact his son’s representative and that there is no deal being worked upon with Arsenal

German, Kicker have followed up with Ali Bulut to get the details on the Mustafi deal, and it’s a let down for Arsenal fans. He’s said:

There are discussions but there’s no agreement between Mustafi and Arsenal, or between both clubs.

School boy tactics to calm down the fans, media etc.