Earlier this week, Mikel Arteta confirmed that Shkodran Mustafi would miss the FA Cup final. Today, he’s confirmed that the German will also miss the start of next season.
The 28-year-old went down holding his hamstring towards the end of Arsenal’s 2-0 win against Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final and tests this week have revealed just how serious an injury it is.
“It looks a really nasty injury,” Arteta said after the Gunners’ 3-2 win against Watford.
“We have lost Calum Chambers the week after I arrived here, we lost Pablo for three months and we’ve lost Musti so at the back we are really short.
“Musti’s been playing really consistently and at a really good level with me and we wish him a quick recovery.
He went on to confirm the player would be out for a long time and then explained: “He pulled the tendon of his bone in his hamstring and that’s normally a lot of weeks.”
Having entered the final year of his contract, Mustafi’s future at the club remains uncertain. This time last year he was told he was surplus to requirements but in the last six months he’s been a regular starter. Arteta has even hinted his preference for the World Cup winner to be handed a new deal.
If we were planning to sell the player and recruit a replacement, that’s likely to be much more difficult given this latest news.
“I already mentioned three central defenders who are not available and we haven’t had them available for a long time anyway, during this season,” lamented Arteta. “We will have to address that.”
It remains to be seen how the club goes about doing exactly that. The transfer window for English clubs officially opens tomorrow and the new season starts in seven weeks time.
When some of these injuries are detailed it makes me feel like I am chewing on a cotton towel. Sounds like months before he will be available.
Mate, it’s Mustafi. Not Franz Beckenbauer. Whilst I wish him well as a person and hope he makes a speedy recovery, I cannot fathom why this guy commands such hero worship on this page. Most Gooners I speak to cannot wait to see the back of him – and that’s from a footballing perspective – nothing personal.
Don’t you see he’s been Arsenal’s Beckenbauer? It is sad that is the state of affairs.
Arsenal’s Beckenbauer, if there is one, is either Frank McLintock, David O’Leary or Tony Adams.
Just can it man. I know you hate Mustafi, but don’t be so blind not to see how immense he’s been being recently. One of the reasons Luiz played well so far (baring the Mancity game at Etihad and the Watford game), is because of Mustafi and how well he played.
Your Mustafi hate is world known. No need to announce it on every Mustafi post. You probably have not seen a single Arsenal game since the restart.
Your hate isn’t gonna push him out of the club, so just shut it.
since the restart 5 wins 4 losses and 1 draw considering mustafi has been ”immense” and luiz has played ”well” not a great return really.
“immense” is a far fetched word for a team that lost so many games with Mustafi in it. He’s been better than his usual clusterf*** (bar the game with Spurs which he returned glorious) but if you reckon he’s been immense then by your standards we won’t need a CB (since you seem to be happy with Luiz as well). I don’t think that these kind of players will help us return to the top 4? In their good days they can be good but their inconsistencies are what make them unreliable for a team with our ambitions. To be… Read more »
If I have an opinion, I’ll post it and the last thing on my mind will be obtaining your permission to do so. I don’t hate Mustafi. Far from it. Off the pitch he comes across as a good bloke with a great attitude. That’s all very well, but his performances for Arsenal Football Club have been largely inept. I agree, he has been ok-ish since the re-start. although he had an inevitable return to type against Tottenham. And yes, he had a good game against City, although even during that, he was lucky to escape a straight red (we’ve… Read more »
WTF hero worship? Now he will be harder to sell.
He’ll probably go on a Bosman next year to Hamburg Glassblowers or Bishops Stortford. The thing is, we’ve still got him for another twelve months. So, believe me, you can forget about Champions League qualification until at least 2022.
Said the guy who actually wants us to believe he doesn´t hate Mustafi … you´re obsessed, it seems, and not in a good way
I don’t hate the guy. I just don’t think he’s good enough for the Arsenal. You clearly do think the player – and his endless mistakes – are good enough for the Arsenal. You are part of the problem.
I can only assume his words were “pulled the tendon OFF his bone” which sounds pretty gruesome.
So does that mean he signs a new contract this summer? I’m guessing no one wants to buy an injured Mustafi…
The window goes until October. He could be fit by then or he could just easily choose to see out his contract given he refused to leave when emery told him publicly to. He would likely have to take a large pay cut now to go anywhere else
Wishing you all the best, Mustafi, and a speedy recovery.?
He’s a loss for next week and he’s dug in to get his career back on track but let’s be serious now and go buy upamecano(not the finished article yet for sure but will be in a year or two. He’s even stated he doesn’t want to go to one of the top teams as he wants to play) and develope a partnership between two young physically imposing central defenders who can defend high and are both super comfortable on the ball
Don’t forget we’ve got a big Willy coming in 2 weeks
Plus Chambers and Mari to come back from injury.
That’s who I was refering to when I said partnership between to young physical defenders
Upamecano is valued at 50 million, isn’t he? Sounds a bit unrealistic to do that. Also I wouldn’t know why he would leave Leipzig, who can offer CL football. Of course his contract ends next summer and Leipzig might WANT to sell him now to still generate some cash, but to be honest, if I am Upamecano and have no other choice than either joining a club like Arsenal or seeing out my contract and becoming a free agent while playing in the CL, I would choose the latter. I guess if Leipzig want him to leave, there’d have to… Read more »
It’s a good job we have a lot of CBs
Ha! Lots of mediocre centre backs. It’s interesting Mikel doesn’t want to use Sokratis unless there’s no other option. Holding looks shaky and it was his poorly judged pass that led to Luiz having to last ditch pile in to Welbeck and give away his customary penalty. There has to be a clear out. Saliba is good news and let’s hope Mari gets up to speed. Will be interesting to see if Mikel can develop Chambers once he’s fit.
he doesnt seem to have an eye for good defenders so far he has resigned luiz signed soares which seems pointless and seems to be hinting at a new deal for mustafi
The club will not be able to sell him with this injury. That doesn’t mean we have to give him a new deal. He might like to leave on a Bosman anyway. I would not be surprised if he leaves for nothing next summer.
I think it might be in the best interest of both parties to sign an extension, if indeed one is on the table. I guess the Mustafi resurrection after the covid break might have resulted in some interested parties, but as soon as they hear these news, they will shift their focus to other players. Mustafi is not the player of whom the clubs would say “injured or not, I specifically need this guy”. It is a gamble for Mustafi to just let the contract run down, because I could imagine he would play a very limited role next season… Read more »
Get well soon bro.. who else is amazed that arsenal didnt miss Leno at all.
That has been down to the continued brilliance of Martinez.
Martinez has performed better than Leno, because he managed the bacline better with fewer goals conceded. Prefer Martinez.
Arteta has done a lot of good things like convincing Xhaka, getting Mustafi to play confidently and all the nice talk that has all us believe.
But Musti? Musti!
call the man Tafi or Toughie. It’s just like that time she calls you honey in front of your boys and deep down you wish she had called you Vodka
Toughie? The man goes down quicker than my mum at an NBA after party
Is this a career ender?
I hope not. That would be a sad way to bow out. The guy doesn’t deserve that. But the club need to move him on as soon as possible – for the benefit of both parties.
Stuck with him for another fucking year then.
Yep. It’s looking like that’s going to be the case. More ‘chances.’ More cock-ups. More Premiership points thrown away. More finishing outside of the top four.
Doesn’t matter how good he has done under Arteta. We should still be selling him, especially that he’s in his last year of his contract. Holding should also go and Sokratis and Kolasianac. We need better
I’m really pleased for the man that he showed some real mental fortitude to come back from pretty fucking close to rock bottom.
Also Arteta… Woof! Making that misshapen bratwurst look like a premiership footballer sets my man-crush meter to overdrive.
But I’m with you. Cash in now and leave us with fond memories before the man has a chance to wreck it all with some infuriating sliding tackle into the disabled enclosure.
You should also go – we do need better …… supporters!
Fair point, if Raul has 4 better defenders lined up and the pockets full of cash, we should probably sell Mustafi and the others. If not, maybe we should look past built up anger and try to field the best possible team next season. And of this best possible team for next season, some members might already be here, simply because we won’t get any better players. Are there much better defenders out there than the ones mentioned? Yeah, dozens. But would they join us? I am not sure. Actually I don’t really care about the fate of any current… Read more »
so we will miss out on Ake. Could we go for Mings?
So can even sell him on….
or maybe no takers….so still with squad. Chambers also to assess. One or the other should be sold. BUT frankly Luiz, Holding as mentioned no better. Buying Sideshowbob was foolish enough, retaining him another daft move tempered by our injuries. Mari is still to prove himself IMO as Saliba. So its still very much work in progress…. BUT if we can have a better functional midfield AND more retention and threat on the ball in wide areas, it will help the Cbacks considerably. Otherwise it really doesn’t matter. TODAY though very poor on set pieces with Watford overloading and us… Read more »
Well he is a nice guy though he makes mistakes sometimes like we all do
I totally agree. Mustafi’s one redeeming trait is that he is actually a really likeable guy – great personality and a great attitude towards his job. It’s actually very sad to see him miss two FA Cup Finals through injury – no one deserves that. But, at the same time, this is a results business and he has contributed some outright howlers that are unacceptable at this level in the game. Palace at home a few seasons back, the League Cup Final against City – I could go on, but I’m not going to. All I will say is that… Read more »