Liverpool In Talks To Hijack Arsenal’s Deal For Shkodran Mustafi

The summer transfer window is in full swing so we’ll bring you all the latest transfer rumours and gossip from around the globe. Today, Liverpool enter the running for Shkodran Mustafi…

Liverpool have opened talks with Valencia to try and hijack Arsenal’s proposed move for centre-back Shkodran Mustafi, according to reports in Spain.

Arsene Wenger has been working hard trying to sign a new defender after Gabriel joined Per Mertesacker on the sidelines after being ruled out for two months with an ankle injury.

Mustafi has emerged as the Gunners prime target with the Times reporting last week that Arsenal were in advanced negotiations with Valencia over a potential £20m-£25m deal for the German international.

The 24-year-old’s agent was then quoted in the Metro as saying that personal terms had already been agreed with the north Londoners so it seemed like it was just a matter of time before Mustafi would become an Arsenal player.

However, there appears to have been a twist in the tail as reports in Spain from Cadena Ser claim that Liverpool have now entered talks with Valencia to try and hijack Arsenal’s proposed deal.

And Jurgen Klopp’s men could have a trump card to play in the negotiations as the outlet suggests that the Merseysiders could be willing to use £5m-rated attacker Luis Alberto as bait to secure Mustafi’s signature.

The Valencia branch of the Spanish radio station tweeted:

“Valencia are in negotiations with Liverpool over the transfer of Mustafi and there is interest in including striker Luis Alberto in the deal”

Klopp has seen his defensive options diminish following injuries to Mamadou Sakho and Joe Gomez while fans have been calling for the Reds boss to bring in another left-back to compete with the often-criticised Alberto Moreno.

Mustafi is predominantly a centre-back but he’s capable of playing anywhere across the back four if needed, so his versatility is likely to appeal to Klopp if he has decided to bring in another defender before the window closes.

The news will come as a huge blow to Arsenal but Wenger will only have himself to blame if they end up missing out on Mustafi’s signature as they’ve been in talks for weeks and have refused to meet Valencia’s asking price.

READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Liverpool transfer news

Let’s see how this develops because as the Evening Standard journalist James Olley suggests, there is still a chance that Valencia are ‘leaking’ false information to try and force Arsenal to meet their valuation.

NOTICIA SER. Pitarch negocia con el @LFC Liverpool el traspaso de Mustafi y hay interés del @valenciacf en incluir al delantero Luis Alberto

— SER Deportivos Valen (@SERDepValencia) August 17, 2016

Reports in Spain suggesting #lfc are keen on Mustafi. Suspect Valencia are trying to force things but #afc may need to make their move soon.

— James Olley (@JamesOlley) August 17, 2016