Arsenal outcast Shkodran Mustafi joins Schalke on free transfer as Mikel Arteta frees up £90,000-a-week in wages
SHKODRAN MUSTAFI has left Arsenal to join Schalke on a free transfer.
The 28-year-old German has been out of favour since Mikel Arteta took over at the Emirates.
And now finally he has found a route out of North London as he joins up with a desperately struggling Schalke side.
Mustafi had been linked with a late deal to Liverpool, but the Reds have decided instead to focus their attention on Preston centre-back Ben Davies and Schalke's Ozan Kabak.
Christian Gross' team are currently bottom of the Bundesliga on just eight points.
The top flight German club have won just once so far this season and are nine points off third bottom Arminia.
Mustafi is a vastly experienced defender, winning the FA Cup and reaching the Europa League final with the Gunners.
He was also a part of the Germany squad which won the World Cup back in 2014.
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However, his lack of activity could mean he needs some time to get back up to speed with top level football in the Bundesliga.
Mustafi has only featured in three Premier League games so far this season, all of which came as a substitute.
His last competitive action came in Arsenal's 4-1 defeat to Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup on December 22.
Mustafi could make his debut for Schalke against Wolfsburg on Wednesday evening in the third round of the DFB-Pokal.
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