Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that the Gunners have done deals for defender Shkodran Mustafi and striker Lucas Perez, with the pair set to link up with their new team-mates.
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A deal for Mustafi has been mooted for weeks, and according to BBC Sport, an agreement between Arsenal and Valencia is not far away, with the price for the 24-year-old Germany centre-back reported to be in excess of £35million.
Both players completed medicals in London on Friday and are likely to be announced as new signings imminently.
English Premier League (EPL) club Arsenal now sit in pole position, ahead of Everton to sign Deportivo La Coruna striker Lucas Perez Martinez before the summer transfer window deadline on August 31, 2016.
Arsene Wenger admits he had to “restart” Arsenal’s transfer window after the Gunners missed out on their top targets in the transfer market. “I am 99 per cent confident”, he said.
Should both players complete their transfers, Arsenal’s spending for the close season will be close to 100 million pounds.
“Last week Wenger had rushed to the defence of Holding after the 0-0 draw at Leicester, “apologising” that his summer signing had not cost “£55m”.
In terms of which player deals didn’t come off, Wenger would not say, but obviously Jamie Vardy was the first one that comes to mind. “If that makes supporters happy then even better, but my focus is on making right decisions for the club”. “I expected it to be easier than ever but it was more hard than ever”. “Because not a lot has happened”. I hope we will have done all our business before the last days of the window.
Mustafi is a 24-year-old Germany center back and his arrival would solve an injury crisis, with Gabriel Paulista and Per Mertesacker now sidelined with long-term problems.
“We don’t just want Mesut to give assists – we want him to score too, so I’m very happy”, he said.
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