Earlier today Arsene Wenger was asked about Italian interest in Shkodran Mustafi, and he didn’t exactly rule it out.
He said in the final week of the transfer window you have to make quick decisions about players, and there was certainly no definitive ‘He’s staying’, that you would expect when a manager is speaking about a player he wants to keep.
Could he really go, just a year after signing for £35m. James takes a look at the situation.
Please no
Wenger refuses to rule out Mustafi departure,
Lemar deal is ‘dead’ as Monaco dig in
Keep Mustafi and buy Van Dijk anyway we need quality defensive.
And buy a midfielder we still haven’t come close to replacing Santi. Seri
Two decades for Wenger’s thoughts now and a season with a new idea…25/26/27/28/29/30/31 August.
#A new idea with Wenger
Why not? The defense needs work and more stability. What better way to achieve that than by selling one of the better options in defense presently.
Del Boy Wenger says “Sell Sell Sell” Fans say “Buy Buy Buy”.
Maybe he hasn’t had a great start to his Arsenal career.
But to throw him out so early in his Arsenal career, so late in the transfer and without replacing with an equally good or better defenders seems bonkers.
I am now officially confused about what Arsene wants to do this season with this team.
I don’t think Arsene does either.
Sounds bonkers unless… Wenger has Van Dijk or another big surprise up his sleeve…
Ronaldo’s coming
to play in goal
nah, we need that right footed LWB.
I’m worried that since we can’t get rid of Gibbs, Wenger now sees him as a left back option meaning he can shift Kolasinac or Monreal to CB full time and if that is the case I’ll be furious
Suggest you may start warming up now.
That my Spanish friend is exactly whats going to happen if we sell him.
Gibbs would be practically a new signing considering how little first team selection he’s had. And there’d be no transfer fee! That means you can divide Lacazette’s by three instead of two!
The longer this goes on the more I question if Wenger really has a coherent vision for the squad or team. We seem to just be fighting fires at this point
Apart from doing the bleeding obvious… you wouldn’t rule anything out at Arsenal.
Absolutely anything this club does? or doesn’t do? wouldn’t surprise me.
If we do anything it’ll be reactive and impulsive and not very well thought out.
If we do nothing it’ll be through indecision because we’re not quite sure.
We haven’t got a clue on what we want? What we want and need?
Or an idea of the way we want to play and how to mould the pieces all together.
What a fu**ing big giant mess!
Does that mean Wenger now has decided that Kolasinac is a center back? Ridiculous in my opinion, but wouldn’t surprise me coming from the boss.
Mustafi is not for sale. End of story
… is not what he said.
Yes he did. Are you deaf ?
Can’t wait for that fucking window to close. No matter what happens from now up until the deadline, it’ll just be about football after that.
Oh you wish. Give it a couple weeks and the media will start to find suitors for Alexis’ summer departure.
Agree with both points. Problem is it won’t really be just about football after the current window closes. It will be about the fact that we just can’t do anything about it. All it really does too is ramp up the pressure for the next window…& things start to become even more worrysome there. AW will have 1 1/2 years left on his contract. If we’re stumbling along in the PL at that stage what do you do? Let him invest? Accept that we’re going to loose big names on a free? Hold off on any investment knowing that a… Read more »
Anyone who saw Mustafi’s masterful performance for Germany against Chile would have to wonder if the problem isn’t with the system–or lack of one–rather than with the player.
There are no problems with Mustafi which is why he will not be sold
7 thumbs down for telling the truth. He’s not for sale and is a class defender.
It’s not up to you, though you seem to think it is.
Sorry I’m wrong. We have several problems with Mustafi and he will definitely be sold
Esperance – couldn’t agree more.
He played well for the first half of last season but has been far from convincing since his return from injury. Atm would start both Holding and Chambers before him.
After this mornings showing would you still say holding is a better option?
Tittle should be “is Wenger really nuts?”
It is simple. AW will look for a quality replacement. If he gets one a deal will be done. If not he stays. This happens a lot I read that Mustafi isn’t fit to wear the shirt now he shouldn’t be sold. No wonder all I get from other team’so supporterstwhile is how Gooners are now seen as worst than Man u fans rather than supporters of their 2nd favourite team to watch.
sell. not good enough. certainly not 35mil worth, ludicrous. recoup money paid,reinvest that+ gabriel money+25mil for a proper center half and leader-i.e. van dyke get 25mil and a bag of bibs, or whatever u can for gibbs wilshire perez, dubuchy (ffs) buy a proper defensive mid ffs- gorotze for me… take mahrez off leicsters hands that should be an outlay of around 90 ballpark,so not even two danny wank rose’…cum on for fuck sake arsenal we love you come on wake up sell walcott ox and welbeck too if money is appropriatly reinvested come on arsene please i love we… Read more »
que?
All the clickbait shit peddlers are saying that Van Dijk has met with Arsenal officials, so maybe his plan is to sell Mustafi and sign Van Dijk. Wouldn’t be terrible to be honest. I’d much rather have them BOTH, but would be nice to have a true beast in the middle. Koscielny has been so reliable, but you have to wonder if this is the season he’ll start having issues playing 60 odd games.
If he’s going to dispense with the back three then that’s another player that needs to be signed in a right back.
Even if we went back to 2 at the back Even if Wenger is convinced Holding can partner Kos Even if he believes we can permanently convert one of our LBs to a CB Even if we kept Gibbs and Chambers We are still lacking in defensive numbers and most importantly quality At the start of the window we were talking about attacking acquisitions and that a number 8 would be a bonus. We have taken 1 step forward (Lacazette) and at least 2 steps back while our rivals (especially the Manchester clubs) have done what was required and strengthened… Read more »
When I watched the press conference, I did NOT get the impression that Wenger was implying he might sell Mustafi. I thought the context was: I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about, but I can’t answer a question about the status of each player in the transfer market, and I can’t tell you what will happen in every possible scenario. I think James’ comparison to Lucas Perez, Gabriel, and Elneny as players Wenger does not fully trust is mistaken: Wenger has chosen Mustafi to start in every important game he has been fit (at least, I cannot remember… Read more »
Thank you. Exactly what I have been saying. Some fans always want to believe the worst
I think he wants a new CB and has to sell one to get one. Either that or Mustafi wants assurances of first team football as its the world cup year.
Cos he is. He prefers left backs at Cback. Completely daft to be worrying about Cback when we had so many options. He already got rid of Gabriel and now he is taking out another reasonably decent Cback. Remember, Mustafi has hit the ground running and when put in context to the red cards, penalties conceded and own goals suffered by Koscielny first season, he’s done very well the German. And what of Chambers? are we selling him too? And HOlding, has he lost faith so quickly in the lad? Besides we have more pressing issue in midfield. Not sure… Read more »
With metasacker and kocienly aeging and selling Gabriel,mustafi and potentially chambers the only reliable option avaliable is holding
I would sell Mustafi. He is simply not that good. I rate Koscielny, Holding, Chambers, and Mertesacker as better than him. Plus we have Bielik coming through.
Honestly I don’t see Wenger sell him. I also don’t see anybody else arrive or leave. Maybe I’m pessimistic, I also think we get is gonna have a more difficult season this season than the last one if nothing happens.
“Is Arsene Wenger really going to let this window close with this squad in this state?”
How about we try playing a back 3 with a left footed lwb and center backs at cb. Maybe it’ll work then? Just a thought.
Don’t mind IF we replace with Van dijk…Mustafi is overrated (he is decent not the saviour he is made out to be) because of that unbeaten run…He had just as many mares as Gabriel…and he palyed in all our worse losses last season.
Dream on!
Is Wenger looking to buy left backs and convert them to Centre Half? He’s already done it with Monreal and Kolasinac. I really don’t know what Wenger is trying to do to our centre back problems? In pre-season, he was playing midfielders as centre back – Elneny and Maitland-Niles.