Arsenal’s defensive outcast Shkodran Mustafi could be set for a shock switch to Hertha Berlin in this January transfer window.
A latest report from Todofichajes has shed some light on Arsenal’s transfer activity in the defensive department. It appears that the Premier League giants may have found a suitor for their defensive outcast in Shkodran Mustafi, who is being courted by Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin in this ongoing January transfer window.
Mustafi’s current contract at Emirates expires at the end of the season, meaning the German will be available for a free transfer in the summer. As a result, Arsenal are keen on offloading the defender in January and in Hertha, they may have found their solution. The player himself has already agreed to join the Bundesliga outfit and the two now parties now only need to reach an agreement over the transfer.
It should not be a difficult task given the fact that Arsenal have already done business with Hertha Berlin recently by loaning them Matteo Guendouzi in the summer. The move proved to be quite beneficial for the Old Lady who are now keen on bolstering their defensive unit following a disappointing start to the campaign.
Dawdling in the wrong end of the Bundesliga table, Hertha Berlin do indeed have a lack of depth in the central defensive unit. The club’s decision to offload the Rekik brother, one of who has even joined Arsenal, seems to have backfired as key centre-back Dedryck Boyata has struggled with injuries.
Jordan Torunarigha has also had his problems regarding overall fitness. As a result, the club has appeared overreliance on the services of Niklas Stark and Omar Aldrete. They desperately need an alternative, and that is where Mustafi could come in handy.
Although the German shockingly doesn’t have any experience of playing in the Bundesliga, he has been playing at the highest level of football for quite some time now. His pedigree at the top club could thus be useful for the Hertha Berlin setup while the former Valencia man can also offer some leadership at the club.
As for Arsenal, the potential departure of Mustafi should help them cut the costs when it comes to their wage structure. And with William Saliba also leaving the club on loan, the transfer could take them one step closer towards an overhaul in the defensive unit.
