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Arsenal transfer news: Shkodran Mustafi joins Schalke

Last updated on .From the section European Footballcomments122

Shkodran Mustafi
Shkodran Mustafi made 151 appearances for Arsenal

Arsenal have confirmed that defender Shkodran Mustafi has left the club to sign for Schalke.

Mustafi, 28, joins the Bundesliga strugglers on a six-month deal to replace Ozan Kabak, who has completed a deadline-day loan move to Liverpool.

Germany centre-back Mustafi did not start a Premier League game for the Gunners this season.

He joined Arsenal from Valencia in 2016 for a fee in excess of £35m and made 151 appearances for the club.

Mustafi was part of the Germany squad that lifted the 2014 World Cup, although he missed the final stages of the tournament with a thigh injury.

While at Emirates Stadium, he helped Arsenal reach the EFL Cup final in 2018 and the Europa League final in 2019, but illness and injury meant he missed the 2017 and 2020 FA Cup finals.

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122 comments

  • Comment posted by Point Percy at the Porcelain, at 23:31 1 Feb 2021

    Within the space of a week Arsenal lose Mustafi and Ozil who combined cost the club £80m for absolutely nothing (on top of the recent exits of Sanchez, Ramsey, Welbeck and Wilshire who ran down their contracts and no fee(s) were also received). The mis-management of the club by the likes of Gazidis and Sanllehi and the the board is truly staggering! And people blamed Wenger!!!

    • Reply posted by keshymckesh, at 23:55 1 Feb 2021

      keshymckesh replied:
      Agree that it reeks of poor management at the top, but it's well known Wenger had a fair amount of control of signings in his tenure and was keen himself to retain Ozil after the loss of Sanchez. He's not without blame for putting him on this monster contract.

      But something is seriously wrong at the highest levels of the club.

  • Comment posted by WheelsOnTheBusAreFallingOff, at 23:09 1 Feb 2021

    We thought we were getting a good CB when we signed this guy, and - unpopular opinion - at times, that was what we got. He was solid in Arteta's first half a season in particular.

    Even when he hit some very, VERY low lows, you couldn't say he wasn't putting in 100%. Best of luck to him.

    • Reply posted by Peadar, at 23:16 1 Feb 2021

      Peadar replied:
      Yea, seen him play well for Arsenal and awful other days. Buried a header v Spurs few years back. Holding is better

  • Comment posted by EtwaseTous, at 23:12 1 Feb 2021

    There could be a player in there somewhere but his hot head leaves him out of position far too often.

    Hopefully being back in Germany helps him out since he's got a good four more seasons in him at his 'prime'.

    All the best, Musti, but it's good to see the much needed clear out happening at Arsenal.

  • Comment posted by charlessy, at 23:21 1 Feb 2021

    It’s easy for people to criticise players like Mustafi but to be fair to him he did have some good moments in an Arsenal shirt but everyone is quick to forget those and remember his mistakes.

    He did have a fairly promising start to his Arsenal career and he did score in a north London derby. Hopefully he can rekindle that form at Schalke.

    Good luck to him and wish him every success

    🔙🔛🔝

    😉

    • Reply posted by Bert , at 00:32 2 Feb 2021

      Bert replied:
      Good moments 😂 nice one he is easily the worst I e seen as a season ticket holder worse then squallichi spelt wrong and Cygan

  • Comment posted by LionelRhodes, at 23:25 1 Feb 2021

    Mustafi actually played really well in many important games...but most fans didn't take to him...and did lose his head & concentration probably a few too many times. Strange one because on paper he had all the attributes to be really good & highly values. Another played bought in for a lot of cash & out the door for free / very little.

    • Reply posted by Bert , at 00:29 2 Feb 2021

      Bert replied:
      😂😂 played well in important games that’s a blinder ha

  • Comment posted by valjester, at 23:38 1 Feb 2021

    Arsenal didn't say 'must have fee' for Mustafi.

    • Reply posted by LondonsFinestClub, at 00:28 2 Feb 2021

      LondonsFinestClub replied:
      They did! But Schalke only heard Mustardfeet. Schalke still wondering what they’re getting.

  • Comment posted by AyrshireDoug, at 10:16 2 Feb 2021

    He didnt pay £35 million for himself Just like Pepe didnt pay £72 million I dont think anyone can say he didnt give it his all Even if he lacked the quality All the best Shkdoran

    • Reply posted by D10S, at 12:28 2 Feb 2021

      D10S replied:
      Why would Mustafi buy himself?

  • Comment posted by hotlinks, at 00:06 2 Feb 2021

    Before he left I imagine he went over to Davinson Sanchez’s house to hand over the title of ‘Worst Defender in North London’

    • Reply posted by mbilu25, at 07:11 2 Feb 2021

      mbilu25 replied:
      😂😂😂

  • Comment posted by Take me Tats Mum, at 09:19 2 Feb 2021

    Lot's of comments based on ignorance.
    When Mustafi arrived he was excellent, which only AFC fans would know better.
    He then got injured and a lengthy time out, then returned a completely different player. As one fan wrote "What happened to Mustafi, I want a DNA test on him to confirm this is the same player". That was funny.
    He trained hard, but lost confidence needed a change which suits us all.

    • Reply posted by D10S, at 09:39 2 Feb 2021

      D10S replied:
      No he wasn’t. He was never good.

  • Comment posted by DMT, at 09:43 2 Feb 2021

    Doesnt matter what you write, or what you think, the overriding fact is ....£35 million ! Totally ridiculous, massively over payed, and is a classic example of how Wenger totally lost his way in the transfer market in his later years. Nice guy, tried hard, but we are in a much stronger position when it comes to centre halves now.

    • Reply posted by mickey, at 12:04 2 Feb 2021

      mickey replied:
      Take your point but Wenger did sigh Holding for £2 Million (good business) Sanchez was a bargain even at £30 million plus.

  • Comment posted by TV, at 23:27 1 Feb 2021

    Total waste of 35m
    Do not know what Wenger saw in him.
    There were better English players available and already established in the Premier League.

    • Reply posted by LondonsFinestClub, at 00:33 2 Feb 2021

      LondonsFinestClub replied:
      Jeez! People say Chelsea overspent on Rudiger. Doesn’t look so bad now. As for Silva, bargains out there. Can’t see why Arsenal didn’t go for Mings, Tarkowski or Vestergard

  • Comment posted by thats alright, at 09:38 2 Feb 2021

    His first 21 games consisted of 15 wins and 6 draws. WC winner. Not sure where it went wrong, perhaps injury, perhaps tactics, but in the end it didn't work out. Still only 28, best of luck to him.

    • Reply posted by Yoshis Missing Yarmulke, at 09:47 2 Feb 2021

      Yoshis Missing Yarmulke replied:
      Injury

  • Comment posted by JuliusCaesarWasASocialist, at 23:19 1 Feb 2021

    Good luck to him, but pound-for-pound one of the poorest signings Arsenal ever made.

    • Reply posted by Baron Voltan, at 23:33 1 Feb 2021

      Baron Voltan replied:
      Igor Stepanovs

  • Comment posted by Yoshis Missing Yarmulke, at 07:29 2 Feb 2021

    Lots of Captain Hindsights buzzing around again with their sharpened tongues poking away tirelessly at Arsene’s rich legacy. At the time of signing, Mustafi had credentials and a rich potential. Nobody could have predicted his failure to live up to them. It’s the inherent risk in football management. Swings and roundabouts ultimately (Thierry Henry .....)

    • Reply posted by RDW_SW, at 07:35 2 Feb 2021

      RDW_SW replied:
      35M for potential? He was at Everton and was cr@p there too.

  • Comment posted by Y0U, at 23:10 1 Feb 2021

    Two CBs leave on a free, after signing for a combined £50m. Shocking waste of money from Arsenal there.

    • Reply posted by munkiman, at 23:29 1 Feb 2021

      munkiman replied:
      Thankfully the youngsters will start to balance out the losses.

  • Comment posted by D1679663113219, at 23:09 1 Feb 2021

    Mustafi Transfer - best of luck to him.

  • Comment posted by Paul, at 11:22 2 Feb 2021

    Good luck to him as he will need it. Shalke are dreadful. As for Ozil, the Board sanctioned the money for a world class player. Supposedly Ronaldo was lvid when RM sold him as Ozil set up goal after goal for him. A German regular and player of the year 5 times. So not rubbish. Arsenal miss-used him and that is their fault. Such a shame. We have not seen the last of him.

    • Reply posted by Ooozzzelll, at 11:32 2 Feb 2021

      Ooozzzelll replied:
      I don't think Arsenal misused Ozil. He was a class act, but he had his personal flaws (as opposed to footballing flaws) and that was his un-doing. Wenger got the best from him by treating him with kid gloves. Whether that was right or wrong we will never know, it's all circumstance based.
      In the end it was him mixing politics with the most commercial league in the world that saw his end.

  • Comment posted by Its Better With Arteta, at 08:21 2 Feb 2021

    He was a World Cup Winner but became too unreliable and kept “going to ground” unnecessarily and conceding free kicks and penalties. Not for nothing was the phrase “Going full Mustafi” used by fans when players did stupid things.

    Also fell into the Ozil brigade which needed clearing out.

    Just hope Willian starts to fit in or he will end up in the same situation.

  • Comment posted by Markyp1965, at 08:05 2 Feb 2021

    No guarantee with any signing, irrespective of whether it’s a free or a fee is paid. Some work out, some don’t and Mustafi largely fell into the latter. Too many rash challenges and mistakes, making him unreliable when Arsenal needed a steady head.
    Wish him well back in Germany, but Arsenal will move on and progress without him.

  • Comment posted by nomore, at 10:33 2 Feb 2021

    Thank god for sky's bottomless pit of money ,most over rated league in the world .

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