Injuries to Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista seem to have increased the urgency with which Arsenal normally do transfers, and Shkodran Mustafi could become a new Gunner as a result.

Arsenal have yet to make a formal bid though. Mustafi has been a real transfer target for almost a month now, and is valued between £20m and £25m, yet Arsene Wenger seems to be hesitant with splashing out cash.

The 24-year-old Valencia Defender was a member of all Germany selections since U16 yet never played in Germany – Everton was his first club yet he never made a senior appearance. He’s a standard member of the German national team and got noticed when he scored the opening goal against Ukraine in Euro 2016.

If Arsenal fail to sign a defender, Nacho Monreal and Calum Chambers will start as the Gunners host Liverpool on Saturday 14 August in the first BPL round.

Meanwhile, Manchester City have signed John Stones, Everton have signed Ashley Williams, and Manchester United have signed Eric Bailly, just to name the biggest defensive names in this transfer window. Liverpool, Arsenal’s first opponents in BPL 2016-17, are reorganizing their entire defensive department according to Jurgen Klopp’s vision.