Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger lining up monster bid to land Valencia’s Shkodran Mustafi
German centre-back has a £42.1million release clause in contract, but Gunners may be able to steal him away for £25m
ARSENE WENGER is lining up a swoop for Valencia centre-back Shkodran Mustafi.
The Arsenal boss, 66, is looking to his forward ranks and the heart of the defence this summer - with Mustafi high on the Frenchman's list of priorities.
outfit into selling for £25.3m, plus £8.4m in add-ons.
Mustafi only recently returned to training with Valencia following his stint with his national side at Euro 2016, where he impressed at the heart of Joachim Low's defence.
The young defender has 12 international caps to his name, netting one goal - during Germany's win over Ukraine in France this summer - since his debut against Poland in 2014.
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Mustafi has enjoyed two good seasons with Valencia, racking up 78 appearances and scoring six times since his 2014 move from Sampdoria.
Prior to his three seasons in Serie A, Mustafi was on the books of Everton - between 2009 and 2012 - failing to make a single top flight appearance - appearing only once in the 2009-10 Europa League game against BATE Borisov as a 79th minute substitute for Tony Hibbert.
However, he failed to play again under David Moyes before he was shipped off to Sampdoria in a bid to boost the Premier League club's transfer balance in 2012.
Wenger has already made one defensive signing this summer, bringing in Rob Holding from Bolton.
But he will need at least one more at the heart of defence following a long-term knee injury to Per Mertesacker.