Arsenal: Shkodran Mustafi injury prompting the inevitable

With Shkodran Mustafi’s “nasty” injury, Mikel Arteta is ready to buckle down and see that Arsenal do what should have been inevitable in the first place.

You never like to see a tremendous resurgence like Shkodran Mustafi‘s undone by a season-ending injury that will disrupt his hopeful return to the Arsenal starting XI at the start of next year. Though many would argue that there should have been no “return” to the starting XI, as he should have been moved on anyway.

As such, what Mikel Arteta said in response to Mustafi’s injury feels like an inevitability. Now with Mustafi shut down for a long time, as well as Pablo Mari and Calum Chambers on the long road to recovery from their own injuries, this defense is battered and will be for awhile.

With just David Luiz, Rob Holding and… Sokratis healthy, the need is greater than ever to find a solution, especially with this summer being extra short.

Also, let’s just say it—Sokratis won’t be back. But William Saliba will be in to take his spot, which is one hell of an upgrade.

Not enough of one, though. That’s still only three guys that we know for sure will be ready to go at the start of next season. Or, ready to go and 100% healthy, barring anything else crazy in the injury department.

Many fans already wanted the Gunners to target a guy like Dayot Upamecano or Axel Disasi and let our defense look something like—Luiz, Mari, Chambers, Holding, Saliba, and Disasi, with Holding being the big question mark there since he could easily be moved on.

But this conversation has picked up incredibly quickly following what sounds like an awful injury to Shkodran Mustafi.

As I said, you never want to root for an injury like this, and it probably hinders our ability to move Mustafi anyway, but since the injury happened, it does prompt the need to get another defender for necessity alone.

So even if Arteta planned on counting on Mustafi for the start of next season, he doesn’t have that option now and essentially has to cave to the wants of the fans to be rid of Mustafi in the first place. Though don’t be surprised if he can return to health and find his way back into a starting XI despite the increased lot of options.

Whatever the case, it’s not something that Arteta will ignore. Answers will be had, no matter what it takes to get there.