Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Shkodran Mustafi and Mathieu Debuchy Rumours

Shkodran Mustafi has spoken of the important role Mesut Ozil played in convincing him to join Arsenal this summer.

The Valencia defender is poised to move to the Gunners in a £35 million deal before the transfer window closes on Wednesday, per BBC Sport. Speaking about the switch, the centre-back revealed he has spoken with some of his compatriots about the club and what’s attracted him to the Emirates Stadium.

"He [Ozil] told me everything I wanted to know," he told Sky Sports in Germany (h/t Mark Crellin of Sky Sports). "Everything was positive, so I was convinced very fast. It did not take much. I have always loved Arsenal, I like how they play here, it is not typical English."

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The Arsenal fanbase are extremely excited about Mustafi, as he’s made rapid progress since joining Valencia. Here’s a look at the qualities he will bring to the Emirates:

Ozil has been at the club since 2013 and remains the Gunners’ record signing. The German playmaker quickly became a fan favourite, too, and it was little shock to see the Arsenal attack purring again at Watford on Saturday following his return to the starting XI.

It’s not a surprise to hear Ozil has been waxing lyrical about the Emirates to his future team-mate. The midfielder will also be acutely aware of what Mustafi would add to the team’s pursuit of major honours.

As these numbers from WhoScored.com show, in the Spanish top flight, Mustafi has been a defensive colossus:

Playing centre-back in the Premier League can be an unforgiving task, so should Mustafi finalise his move to north London, it may take some time for him to adapt to life in England. However, his game does seem a brilliant fit for English football and, significantly, the way in which Arsenal go about their business.

Mathieu Debuchy Move in Doubt

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According to John Cross of the Daily Mirror, Arsenal’s out-of-favour full-back Mathieu Debuchy may be forced to stay at the club this summer due to injury.

With a calf problem hampering the France international defender, Cross noted: "It will now take a club ready to take a gamble on Debuchy’s fitness to save him from a season in limbo." The emergence of Hector Bellerin has rendered the 31-year-old surplus to requirements at the Emirates Stadium.

Debuchy joined Bordeaux on loan in January as he sought to force his way into the France squad for the summer’s UEFA European Championship. But he wasn’t selected by national team manager Didier, making just nine appearances for the Ligue 1 side.

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While he’s currently on the periphery at the Emirates, Debuchy certainly has the talent to make a big impression at another club. As these numbers from OptaCan show, he’s been a steady performer with the Gunners and former club Newcastle United in the Premier League:

Debuchy will be disappointed if he can’t find a way out of the Emirates between now and the end of the window. Indeed, according to Cross, it’s Carl Jenkinson who’s next in line to play should Bellerin miss out, meaning there would have to be a defensive crisis of significant proportions for the Frenchman to feature regularly this season.