Former Arsenal winger Perry Groves spoke on TalkSport about Liverpool’s reported interest in Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi.
The defending Premier League champions are in a difficult position due to injuries. Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip are all injured and Jurgen Klopp is desperate to sign a new centre-half before the window shuts tonight.
Mustafi is among the players Liverpool are reportedly looking at, and that really is strange. The German can barely get a game at the Emirates at the moment, and going from there to the reigning champions is as good as it can get for him.
However, Groves has urged Klopp not to sign Mustafi. The former Arsenal winger believes that the ex-Valencia man always has a mistake in him and has claimed that he isn’t an upgrade to what the Reds currently have.
He said: “I wouldn’t be taking Mustafi, because I’ve seen him play for Arsenal. He’s always got a mistake in him. He loses concentration.
“Even in the ginger brotherhood, I can’t back him! If you’re bringing someone in, they’ve got to be as good or better than what you’ve got – and I don’t think Mustafi is.”
Arsenal Insider’s view
A lot can be said about Mustafi’s ability as a defender, but it is important to note that he is a confidence player. Constant criticism at the Emirates has clearly affected him, and that is being seen in his performances.
The German, when he is in good spirits, is a very good defender. We all saw how well he fared when he first joined the club, and he was brilliant at the end of last season as well under Mikel Arteta before he got injured.
Mustafi might not be good enough to replace someone like van Dijk at Liverpool, but he is a very good backup. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Reds secure his signature before the window shuts later tonight.
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