INTER: WE MUST HAVE MUSTAFI
Italian giants confident they can lure Gunners’ defender and won’t take no for an answer
INTER MILAN have made a dramatic bid for Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi.
The Italians want to take Mustafi on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent £20m-plus deal.
It looked a non-starter but Inter are refusing to give up which has also prompted Juventus to also make an enquiry as Arsene Wenger looks to shake up his squad.
Inter are desperate to make the deal happen and have received enough encouragement to make them believe there is a chance of pulling it off before the window shuts next week.
Germany defender Mustafi joined Arsenal last August in a £35m deal and his family are settled in London but the move has not been a huge success. He made a strong start but was injured before Christmas, failed to rediscover his best form and then missed the FA Cup final with concussion.
The German international returned to the starting lineup at Stoke last weekend but Arsenal suffered a defeat which raised alarm bells about Mustafi again. Wenger has been looking to overhaul the squad, sold Gabriel to Valencia for £10m but recently told Calum Chambers to stay and that may allow them to let another defender go. They are long term admirers of Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk who is also wanted by Liverpool and Chelsea. But Arsenal would have to offload a big name before they can move again because they have struggled to clear out the squad. They have been after Monaco’s Thomas Lemar but have been handicapped by the wage bill and number of players in the squad.
Inter are refusing to give up on Mustafi and it is understood they have been in contact again with Arsenal and there is a feeling among other players that it is being seriously considered.