Arsenal move for star defender stalls as Gunners refuse to meet £25million price tag

Arsene Wenger has been dealt a big blow in his attempts to sign Valencia defender Shkodran Mustafi. 

The Gunners boss is ready to pay around £20million for German defender Mustafi with the Spanish club demanding in excess of £25million. 

Despite the Spanish club claiming otherwise, talks are still ongoing and Arsenal remain in the market for Mustafi but the deal is becoming more complicated. 

There has been difficulty in dealing with agents while Valencia do not want to lose Mustafi and their other centre-half, Aymen Abdennour, who is wanted by Everton. 

Abdennour has been offered to Arsenal but Wenger wants Mustafi as his No.1 choice while West Brom’s Jonny Evans is another back-up option. 

Valencia director of football Jesús García Pitarch has been in London to try to broker deals and it is unlikely any deal for Mustafi will be done in time for Saturday’s trip to Leicester.