Arsenal begin transfer talks with Valencia over Shkodran Mustafi

Arsenal have opened talks with Valencia over the Spanish club’s star defender Shkodran Mustafi, Sky Germany report. Despite the club’s chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, saying that they wouldn’t be spending big money, they look set to make another major signing.

Crucially, they won’t be spending over the odds for the German international. Although Mustafi has a release clause of £42.1 million, it’s believed that Arsenal will be able to complete a transfer by offering £25.3m plus an additional £8.4m in add-ons.

Value for money

It’s hardly buttons. But it can be considered reasonable in the current market. Mind you, Arsenal fans are difficult to please. However, they should compare Mustafi’s mooted fee with that of £50 million-valued John Stones or Aymeric Laporte.

Mustafi has been capped by Germany 12 times and was a part of their World Cup winning squad in 2014, as well as their Euro 2016 squad. Stones has ten caps for England. Laporte is yet to be capped at senior level. The German could be the pick of the three.