Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi has stated his desire to stay with the Gunners, amidst speculation linking him with a move abroad. According to recent reports, the Gunners centre-back is planning to stay at the Emirates Stadium beyond this summer. He has endured a difficult second campaign with the North Londoners and has made some errors in high-profile matches which has not gone down well with Arsenal supporters.
The German defensive ace has made some key mistakes, most notably the one against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final as well as in recent encounters versus Southampton and Newcastle United. Mustafi signed for the Gunners from Valencia in the summer of 2016 for a fee in the region of £35m. Some sources are now claiming that he could be sold when the transfer window opens in the summer.
However, the former Everton academy graduate has addressed his future, revealing that he is not going anywhere and is currently happy with life in North London. The German was quoted to have said, “My season has been a bit like Arsenal’s – peaks and troughs. Recently I’ve been performing [well].
“I’m thankful to play for a club like this. I want to play where I’m happy and I am happy here. Especially as I almost always start when I’m fit.”
The Gunners have a tally of 57 points in 34 league games and are currently occupying the 6th spot in the Premier League table. All of their hopes are in the UEFA Europa League basket with a crucial home tie against Atletico Madrid looming on the horizon.
Retaining some of their star players could go a long way in helping them close the gap to their top 4 rivals next season. However, Mustafi has made a number of errors during the course of this campaign which indicates that the Gunners cannot rely on him. Hence, the North London side should look to bring in a suitable replacement with the money generated from his sale in the hopes of improving their league performance next term.
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Mustafi has made 34 appearances for Arsenal this season, scoring 3 goals and grabbing 2 assists in all competitions. At 26, he needs to play week in week out so that he can improve his game and compete for trophies. It remains to be seen what lies ahead in the future of Mustafi and whether he ends up parting ways with the North London team in the near future.
