Shkodran Mustafi: Cack On Top

[Toby]

I think there's still a player in there who could be very good in a more rigid system, but right now he's far too patchy in his performances.

Depending on what the market offers, there may be the option to bring in two CBs and shift either Koscielny or Mustafi to 3rd option, while selling the other. Koscielny has been dodgy for a good while now, too.

Age wise, I'd keep Mustafi as 3rd choice, as he's capable of patches of good performances and at some point a new manager who can maybe coax consistency out of him will come in, while with Kos there's exactly the same problem of consistency, along ageing and injury concerns. On the other hand, Koscielny just won't attract any decent transfer fees, while Mustafi might attract a couple of german or italian clubs for fees around 25 to 35m.

If, for example, it's possible to sell Mustafi for around 25m while signing Manolas/de Ligt/similar for 30 to 35m and De Vrij on a free, I'd probably do it, keeping Koscielny and Chambers as no. 3 and 4.

 

[Ashybashy86]

I think there's still a player in there who could be very good in a more rigid system, but right now he's far too patchy in his performances.

Depending on what the market offers, there may be the option to bring in two CBs and shift either Koscielny or Mustafi to 3rd option, while selling the other. Koscielny has been dodgy for a good while now, too.

Age wise, I'd keep Mustafi as 3rd choice, as he's capable of patches of good performances and at some point a new manager who can maybe coax consistency out of him will come in, while with Kos there's exactly the same problem of consistency, along ageing and injury concerns. On the other hand, Koscielny just won't attract any decent transfer fees, while Mustafi might attract a couple of german or italian clubs for fees around 25 to 35m.

If, for example, it's possible to sell Mustafi for around 25m while signing Manolas/de Ligt/similar for 30 to 35m and De Vrij on a free, I'd probably do it, keeping Koscielny and Chambers as no. 3 and 4.

I'm definitely pro selling Mustafi and keeping Chambers. He doesn't make anywhere near the kind of errors Mustafi makes in pretty much every game. Would love for us to have a solid English CB in the starting 11 again.

 

[<<reed>>]

"35m for a German international World Cup winner is a steal" (c) GDeep

 

[juice man]

Always believed he would eventually turn it around, but it’s just not happening. Can’t be making these kinds of mistakes on a consistent basis. Who cares what kind of fee we get for him, we just need to move past him and get someone else in.

 

[tap-in]

We need a top CB in the summer to play with Kos, Chambers or Holding, none of our CB's are good enough to start for a top PL side really but I dont see us buying 2 new ones. Keeper, CB + CM should be our priorities.

 

[Vinci]

Offer him around, try to recoup as much money as possible and run.

 

[Toby]

"35m for an German international World Cup winner is a steal" (c) GDeep

Tbh he always looked good with Germany and at least at Genua, too. But he is probably protected by possession, a clear system and better partners all over the pitch with Germany. He's definitely too erratic for Arsenal right now.

 

[Sanchez11]

Sell this fool ffs i dont know who has cost us more him or Cech.

 

[Stannis]

I think there's still a player in there who could be very good in a more rigid system, but right now he's far too patchy in his performances.

Depending on what the market offers, there may be the option to bring in two CBs and shift either Koscielny or Mustafi to 3rd option, while selling the other. Koscielny has been dodgy for a good while now, too.

Age wise, I'd keep Mustafi as 3rd choice, as he's capable of patches of good performances and at some point a new manager who can maybe coax consistency out of him will come in, while with Kos there's exactly the same problem of consistency, along ageing and injury concerns. On the other hand, Koscielny just won't attract any decent transfer fees, while Mustafi might attract a couple of german or italian clubs for fees around 25 to 35m.

If, for example, it's possible to sell Mustafi for around 25m while signing Manolas/de Ligt/similar for 30 to 35m and De Vrij on a free, I'd probably do it, keeping Koscielny and Chambers as no. 3 and 4.

Honestly I think Chambers and Mustafi will both fetch a similar price, and id probably go to keep Mustafi for the reasons you mentioned.

Thats nothing against Chambers, but I personally think Holding has more in him

Manolas is a bit overhyped here but still better than what we have, his release clause is 33 million I believe, that can easily be partially funded by a Chambers sale.

 

[Makingtrax]

Mustafi was a headless chicken again today.

Holding looked twice the player and he was only on a few minutes.

 

[DanDare]

He has has has to go in summer

 

[Toby]

Honestly I think Chambers and Mustafi will both fetch a similar price, and id probably go to keep Mustafi for the reasons you mentioned.

Thats nothing against Chambers, but I personally think Holding has more in him

Manolas is a bit overhyped here but still better than what we have, his release clause is 33 million I believe, that can easily be partially funded by a Chambers sale.

I'd definitely keep Holding, but I'd like to see him go out on loan. He needs regular game time in top flight football. The young Bundesliga CBs we have been linked to lately (Diallo, Soyuncu, Pavard, or young guys in France like Diakhaby, Gnagnon, etc.) haven't gotten to their levels cause they rode the bench 90% of a season. Maybe Burnley, Bournemouth, or send him abroad for a year to Ligue 1 or the Bundesliga.

You keep Chambers or Mustafi, plus Koscielny and get in two starting CBs. But that'll only work out under the right circumstance. With bringing in two CBs of starting quality, one practically has to be on a free keeping other signings in mind.

Edit: A quick search on transfermarkt revealed that De Vrij is the only fitting option at CB out of contract this summer. For CBs out of contract in 2019, who might come a bit cheaper this summer, with a minimum market value of 5m, there's only Gnagnon from Rennes who I'd take.
https://www.transfermarkt.de/detailsuche/spielerdetail/suche/8410665

Edit: Another option might be taking a punt on a young, South American CB. There's a couple of guys I read about who seem to be rather talented, but more off the radar than the young european players. Stuttgart got Ascacibar, one of the most lauded CDM talents in Argentina, for somwhere between 6 - 10m. Somethings like that seems realistic.

 

[Jury]

So nobody waiting to see what another manager can do with him then?

Interesting

He's obviously **** and needs to be flushed. He doesn't know how to defend, and he's meant to be a defender.

 

[Camron]

"35m for a German international World Cup winner is a steal" (c) GDeep

Definitely feeling robbed.

 

[ThlRama]

Even Holding, let alone Chambers, is currently miles better than him. I wasn't an early critic but he has lost me as well these days.

 

[hydrofluoric acid]

So nobody waiting to see what another manager can do with him then?

Bar Elneny and Mustafi I would like to see all of them having a chance under new manager.

I just feel so disconnect to Arsenal players these days... I only kiss photos of Özil, Ramsey and Bellerin before I go to sleep.

 

[dashsnow17]

I'd definitely keep Holding, but I'd like to see him go out on loan. He needs regular game time in top flight football. The young Bundesliga CBs we have been linked to lately (Diallo, Soyuncu, Pavard, or young guys in France like Diakhaby, Gnagnon, etc.) haven't gotten to their levels cause they rode the bench 90% of a season. Maybe Burnley, Bournemouth, or send him abroad for a year to Ligue 1 or the Bundesliga.

You keep Chambers or Mustafi, plus Koscielny and get in two starting CBs. But that'll only work out under the right circumstance. With bringing in two CBs of starting quality, one practically has to be on a free keeping other signings in mind.

Edit: A quick search on transfermarkt revealed that De Vrij is the only fitting option at CB out of contract this summer. For CBs out of contract in 2019, who might come a bit cheaper this summer, with a minimum market value of 5m, there's only Gnagnon from Rennes who I'd take.
https://www.transfermarkt.de/detailsuche/spielerdetail/suche/8410665

Edit: Another option might be taking a punt on a young, South American CB. There's a couple of guys I read about who seem to be rather talented, but more off the radar than the young european players. Stuttgart got Ascacibar, one of the most lauded CDM talents in Argentina, for somwhere between 6 - 10m. Somethings like that seems realistic.

Edson Alvarez is a very highly rated CB playing in Mexico at the moment, already played for the senior national team a few times. Then there's the Peruvian Miguel Araujo or the Argentine German Conti. That's the extent of my knowledge.

Personally I'd see if we could include Mustafi in a deal for Milan Skriniar, i doubt Inter are stupid enough to sanction that though.

 

[Toby]

Edson Alvarez is a very highly rated CB playing in Mexico at the moment, already played for the senior national team a few times. Then there's the Peruvian Miguel Araujo or the Argentine German Conti. That's the extent of my knowledge.

Personally I'd see if we could include Mustafi in a deal for Milan Skriniar, i doubt Inter are stupid enough to sanction that though.

Yeah, Inter will never do that, also baring in mind that swap deals rarely happen, just cause it's so seldom that both players fit the profile needed by each club. Even then, most clubs will rather take the money and make a move for another player taking the opportunity to make some money in the progress.

At River there's Lucas Martinez and Gonzalo Montiel who are touted as talented.

The South Americans at Zenit might also be worth taking a look at. I can't see them costing too much coming from Russia. I suppose they will be on very good wages, though.

 

[dashsnow17]

Yeah, Inter will never do that, also baring in mind that swap deals rarely happen, just cause it's so seldom that both players fit the profile needed by each club. Even then, most clubs will rather take the money and make a move for another player taking the opportunity to make some money in the progress.

At River there's Lucas Martinez and Gonzalo Montiel who are touted as talented.

The South Americans at Zenit might also be worth taking a look at. I can't see them costing too much coming from Russia. I suppose they will be on very good wages, though.

Maybe just offer money to Inter then haha. Skriniar will be one of the best CB's in the world soon enough. Sometimes I think "let's just bloody buy Oblak, Skriniar & Fabinho", but then I remember the reality of our situation and that we're not that attractive anymore.

 

[Toby]

not that attractive anymore

Don't have the money is more like it. Arsenal can't even sell their sellable assets cause they are needed in the squad. It was "easy" to do for Liverpool to sell Coutinho, cause they already had Mane and a system to replace him. You sell Özil, Ramsey, Mkhitaryan or any of the strikers to generate a budget, you rip the team apart. It's especially ridiculous that some want to sell Lacezette. In decades, Arsenal has a strong CF lineup, with the option to play two quality strikers at the same time and easily replace 1st choice when injured, and people want to sell. van persie out > Chamakh or Bendtner or whatever. Giroud out > Welbeck. Now we finally got Auba and Laca, and people want to regress.

Arsenal need to very carefully add top quality to reinforce the first XI and slowly build squad quality over the next years. But first, you do that by not selling but adding peak players. Then you add quality squad depth. Same situation as in 2011/12. Don't give me four Gervinhos, give me one quality guy and see where it goes. Then add and add to it.

As for Skriniar...sure, top quality. But looking at the market, van Dijk to Liverpool for 70m has open up new spheres for CB transfer fees, just as David Luiz to Chelsea for 30m did seven years ago. I can't see Inter valuing Skriniar under 50 or even 60m. Arsenal, no, all the clubs working on a self sufficient level really need this market to implode. Actually, the whole footballing world needs that.