Arsenal: Shkodran Mustafi deserves transfer firewall

Arsenal still have yet to make any major sales. And that should continue, even as it pertains to Shkodran Mustafi. Put up that firewall!

Arsenal’s summer has been remarkably spotless. They’ve made the crucial signings they’ve needed to make, and they’ve avoided any major sales thus far. Whether that changes in the near future, we can’t be sure, but as of right now, we’re sitting pretty.

That doesn’t mean there haven’t been brushes with sales, and one of the premium candidates is Shkodran Mustafi.

Last summer, after just one year with the club, a remarkably solid season, if not a tad underappreciated, he was linked to a sale to Inter Milan. And for awhile there, it looked to be set in stone, he was gone.

Obviously he didn’t leave, because he’s still here. And since he is still here, that means he can be linked to exits this summer, which is what is presently happening.

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Among the possible sales this summer, Mustafi has been talked about as perhaps the most likely, yet thus far, there has been very little concrete evidence of a potential exit for the German, but now there are reports that the Gunners turned away a potential loan move from Galatasaray.

This is the right move. In fact, there should be a very strict policy with selling players – a firewall of sorts. There is no rush to sell anyone. At least there shouldn’t be. Everything is in place and that will only get upset if someone takes off and leaves us short-handed.

Mustafi is one of those people. Like it or not.

I covered him more in depth earlier this summer, but to summarize, getting the best out of Mustafi should be a huge priority. We’ve all seen how good he can be. But the problem there is ‘can be.’ At just 26-years-old, Mustafi is getting to that part of his career where he needs to really get settled in and it would be a crying shame to see that happen somewhere else.

Because, again, the dude is talented, he just needs to sort out the mistakes.

Selling him now accomplishes nothing. Loaning him accomplishes less. He’s needed here. With the pressure on his position, this year could define more than we know for the German. Don’t lose faith in him yet.