Arsenal’s Shkodran Mustafi linked to Barcelona’s surprise transfer

Barcelona have been linked with a shock move for Arsenal center-back Shkodran Mustafi.

The 28-year-old has been regularly linked to a move away from the Gunners in recent times, but nothing materialized over the summer and he ended up staying in the Emirates.

The player’s contract will expire in June, and this is expected to be Mustafi’s last season in North London.

And in a surprising report on the Spanish outlet Diario Sport, they say Barcelona may be interested in signing Mustafi in January as a short-term option.

The Catalan giants are quite low in the central defender position, with only Gerard Pique, Clement Lenglet and Ronald Araujo currently fighting for a spot in the starting lineup.

Their manager Ronald Koeman is said to be desperately trying to strengthen himself in defense and is still hoping to complete a move for Manchester City’s Eric Garcia in the near future.

But City are proving to be a tough negotiator and Mustafi is believed to be on Koeman’s shortlist should a deal for Garcia be covered as a reserve from January until the end of the season.

Mustafi has barely appeared for the Gunners in the current campaign, with the likes of Gabriel, David Luiz and Rob Holding seemingly all above him in the Arteta pecking order.

He has only played 44 Premier League minutes so far and his only other two appearances have come in the Europa League.

Mustafi’s father recently updated on his son’s future, telling Sport1: “Nothing is excluded, we can imagine everything, because Shkodran is [available on a] free transfer in summer. “

At one point it was speculated that Mustafi would receive a new contract from Arsenal, but this seems less and less likely.