Arsene Wenger has revealed that the Gunners are all set to splurge huge cash in order to rope in their transfer targets, as they are desperately in the hunt for a top-flight centre-back.
Wenger has felt the urgency of signing a top flight defender after a number of pre-season injuries. Per Mertesacker has pulled up a knee injury in a pre-season friendly against Lens. Gabriel is down with an injury and Laurent Koscielny is struggling to regain match-fitness after a hectic Euro 2016 schedule which leaves Wenger with the option of playing Rob Holding, Calum Chambers and Krystian Bielik in the new season.
Arsenal has been linked with a number of defenders this summer – including former Manchester United man Jonny Evans, Jose Maria Gimenez of Atletico Madrid and Valencia’s Mustafi. However recent reports suggest that Mustafi tops Wenger’s wish list.
Atletico Madrid are unwilling to lower down the asking price of £40m for Gimenez and it is now believed that Arsenal are keen on bringing Mustafi to Emirates this summer. The North London Club have received a huge boost in their hunt for the central-defender after the La Liga club declared that they might need to offload the defender to meet the Financial Fair Play regulations.
The Mustafi transfer saga has received a huge boost after Wenger said that the club is now ready to spend the cash needed for signing a good centre-back before the transfer window closes.
“I believe it’s better if I don’t talk about individual players, but we are ready to spend the money we have,” said Wenger at a press conference.
“It is very difficult to identify people and you have many examples of people in England who spend huge money on CBs and not made it.
“It’s important to spend money the right way, it’s not my money.”
Premier League giants Arsenal has reportedly agreed in principle with Valencia defender Mustafi, as Arsene Wenger looks desperate to bolster his defence before the upcoming EPL season.
Sources confirm that the North London club looks forward to negotiate the deal with Valencia in order to decide the value of the star German defender.
Earlier, foottheball had reported that Valencia rejected Arsenal’s initial bid of £15m bid for Shkodran Mustafi as the Spanish club are unwilling to lower down the asking price of £30m for the German defender.
However, reports now states that Valencia’s Chief Executive Garcia Pitarch has now revealed that the La Liga club may have to offload Mustafi in order to abide by the Financial Fair Play regulations.
“We’re above the FFP guidelines, that’s the reality, and as of today, the four players we’ve signed cannot be registered, meaning we need to reduce the cost in a significant manner to register the players and sign a centre-back, which is a priority in case one of the ones at our club leaves,”said Pitarch.