Inter Milan chief reveals why they pulled out of deal for Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi
The Gunners were looking to recoup the £35million they paid Valencia a year ago for the German centre-back
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SHKODRAN MUSTAFI is still an Arsenal player because the Gunners priced him out of a move to Inter Milan.
That's the lowdown from Inter director Piero Ausilio.
The report that the Italian side offered a £4.6million loan fee with an option to buy Mustafi for £23m.
But, with Juventus apparently also interested, Arsenal looked to recoup the £35m spent on him last summer.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (£40m), Wojciech Szczesny (£13.5m), Gabriel (£10m) and Kieran Gibbs (£7m) all left the Emirates this summer.
And Mesut Ozil may go for £55m today if Barcelona fail to land Philippe Coutino.
As far as German defender Mustafi was concerned, Ausilio explained:
"The only negotiations we really entered into for a centre-back was Shkodran Mustafi, but when we saw his club's demands, we let it go."
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Mustafi, 25, has so far made 31 appearances under Arsene Wenger.
Now he's left to battle it out with Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and Rob Holding for a place in the back line.
It speaks volumes that Wenger was prepared to let him go after just one season in the Premier League.
Mustafi, who has appeared once in 2017/18, is yet to truly establish himself.
He had urged Wenger to let him join Inter, who originally wanted to take him on loan.
Arsenal were thought to be interested in a permanent transfer only.
Mustafi won the FA Cup with Arsenal last season but his future obviously remains in doubt.
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