Arsena: Shkodran Mustafi can’t slip too much

While he has shown glimpses of his potential throughout, Shkodran Mustafi has largely suffered an inconsistent first two years at Arsenal. Next season, he can’t afford to slip too much if he wants to hold onto his starting spot.

When Shkodran Mustafi signed for £35 million for Arsenal two summers ago, only one Premier League defender had ever been signed for more: John Stones, who Manchester acquired for just short of £50 million only two weeks prior. It is easy to forget the price of a player that is good but not great, but it’s fair to say that, given the investment, the Gunners were hoping for more out of Mustafi.

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The German international has all the traits that you would in a centre-half. It is why he has put together these anomalous and staggering performances. When everything fits together, he plays wonderfully. But consistency has been his issue.

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The mental errors that he makes substantially undermine the good work that he does do, he suffers damning lapses in concentration that lead to poor marking, lapse decision-making and downright dumbfounding positioning, including standing in front of Sergio Aguero from a goal kick in the EFL Cup final, and he always looks as though he may make a mistake at any moment which isn’t especially reassuring for those who are playing next to him, behind him and in front of him.

If he had been signed for say £20 million and was seen as more of a squad player who provides depth and competition, then his first two years could have been deemed a success. He has been better than Gabriel Paulista, for instance. But he wasn’t. Mustafi was bought to be the anchor of this defence, and all he’s proven so far is that he can only do it every now and then. That is not good enough.

And Arsenal are slowly beginning to move on. Sokratis Papastathopoulos has arrived in north London for £16 million. It is now Mustafi that will partner him. Not the other way around. And although Laurent Koscielny will not be available for selection until December at the earliest, with a trio of young and hungry defenders behind him, Mustafi cannot just assume his starting role anymore like he could previously.

Calum Chambers enjoyed a very promising end to last season, Konstantinos Mavropanos is very much a Sven Mislintat guy, — Mislintat, incidentally, may have some doubts regarding Mustafi’s quality — and Rob Holding is not too far behind either. All are hankering for an opportunity to prove that they can be a reliable and regular starting option. And if Emery agrees, it will not be Sokratis that he is dropping.

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Mustafi is probably the starter for Arsenal next season, at least early on. And he deserves to be so. He is still relatively young for a central defender and does have talent, even if he is yet to put it all together. But he cannot afford the same slip-ups of years past. There is competition for his place. He will have to earn it this time, not just assume it.