Arsenal Transfer News: Latest Mauro Icardi, Shkodran Mustafi Rumours

Frank de Boer has reportedly ruled out selling Arsenal and Chelsea transfer target Mauro Icardi. The new Inter Milan head coach has made it clear he intends to keep the Argentinian striker for the upcoming Serie A season.

In fact, De Boer, whose appointment was confirmed by a statement on Inter's official site on Tuesday, revealed that he wants to retain the core of his current squad, singling out Icardi as particularly important, per Neil McLeman of the Daily Mirror: "We’ll keep every player we don’t want to sell. Icardi is very important for me and he’ll stay. He’s young, he can learn a lot, but he’s already proven himself to be fantastic. We can work very well together, there won’t be any problems."

It's a decision that could scupper Arsenal's increasingly desperate attempts to recruit a centre-forward ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

The Gunners were recently linked with an audacious-sounding offer of £30 million plus Olivier Giroud for Icardi, per Luca Pessina of La Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Julian Cardillo of Gazzetta World, via Anthony Chapman of the Sun).

It's a move Premier League rivals Chelsea were reportedly prepared to block and better, per David Woods of the Daily Star.

Yet a closer look at Arsenal's mooted interest shows how staying clear of the Icardi sweepstakes can be a good move from manager Arsene Wenger. There's little point in the already striker-short Gunners sacrificing one centre-forward for another. That would do little to bolster the numbers, overall quality and depth at this key position.

For all the critics Giroud attracts, he's still a useful attacker blessed with exceptional link play and aerial prowess. What Wenger needs is a more complete striker. Specifically, he needs greater pace and more composed finishing at the heart of Arsenal's forward line.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

As much as he needs a striker, though, Wenger's need for a new centre-back is getting stronger. Fortunately, the Gunners boss may now be ready to zero in on his prime target.

Gunners Accelerate Interest in Shkodran Mustafi

Injuries to Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista this pre-season have heightened the need for new recruits at a position that already required fresh talent.

The length of the latter's absence has now been confirmed and will push Wenger to accelerate his pursuit of a prime target, per BBC Sport's David Ornstein:

There have been conflicting reports in recent days regarding Arsenal's potential offers for Valencia's Shkodran Mustafi. Sami Mokbel of MailOnline reported the Gunners will offer £30 million "this week," while the Daily Telegraph's Matt Law put the seemingly impending offer "in the region of £20 million."

Wenger's eagerness to finally recruit a new centre-back makes sense ahead of a tough first game at home to Liverpool. The Reds have done excellent work bolstering their attack this summer, signing Sadio Mane and Georginio Wijnaldum.

They will both offer pace, intelligent movement and artful technique alongside cerebral Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino. It's a forward line capable of causing problems for any defence, particularly a makeshift one.

Arsenal need quicker and more aggressive players in the middle of the back four. Wenger needs to step up his efforts and may also need to sign more than one defender to cover the injuries.