Wenger admitted he was hopeful of securing a deal for Mustafi over the weekend but Valencia have other ideas. In one way, I respect that because in the world we live in there’s a lot of pressure to bring in players.
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Arsenal’s mistake, it appears, was in pursuing Jamie Vardy before Euro 2016 at a period in the transfer window when Lacazette might well have been available for much closer to the £32.5 million fee that they initially offered.
And Gunners legend Wright is certainly feeling the fans’ frustration, speaking out on Twitter after reports suggested Valencia had told Arsenal to stump up £50m for Mustafi.
The former Everton trainee’s absence in the fixture drove speculation in the British media but the Spaniard insists it was down to lack of match fitness and not an impending transfer.
The asking price will shatter Arsenal’s current record transfer fee of £41.5 million, paid to Real Madrid for Mustafi’s worldwide team-mate Mesut Ozil in 2013.
Shkodran Mustafi started on the bench in Valencia’s 4-2 loss at home to Las Palmas in LaLiga on Monday.
Spanish sports daily Mundo Deportivo have reported that goalkeeper Diego Alves and striker Paco Alcacer are targeted by Barcelona.
Valencia’s director of football Jesus Garcia Pitarch is due in London to have talks with Chelsea and Pedro in the hope they can do a deal.
In my view, both Lovren and Sakho are expendable, and I’d personally have no issue with both being phased out of the team this season, with Matip, Klavan, and another central defender (possibly Mustafi for a reasonable price) taking over.
Arsenal played out a goalless draw with Premier League champions Leicester City at King Power Stadium on Saturday evening.
The club have signed 20-year-old centre-back Rob Holding from Bolton, but 24-year-old Shkodran Mustafi has been their top transfer target.
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Arsenal have had problems at centre-back since Per Mertersacker was ruled out until the New Year, with Gabriel Paulista also struggling to be back in action within the next six weeks.
