The former Gunners forward has been mightily impressed with what he has seen thus far from the centre-back.
Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith has written in the Daily Telegraph that he has been hugely impressed with summer signing Shkodran Mustafi so far, and revealed that he has been told that the centre-back is as commanding a presence in the dressing room as on the pitch.
Mustafi finally joined the Gunners this summer in a deal worth a reported £35 million at the end of August after protracted negotiations with Spanish club Valencia.
The 24-year-old German international has impressed so far in life at the Emirates Stadium, making six appearances in all competitions and forming a solid partnership with Laurent Koscielny in the injury absence of Per Mertesacker.
Smith has certainly been very pleased with what he has seen from the new arrival, and wrote in the Telegraph that the centre-back appears to be a leader both on and off the pitch.
The former Gunners striker wrote in the Telegraph: “Whatever the reason, it is true that over the last four games, he has not only formed a promising partnership with Laurent Koscielny but showed he can thrive amid the physical stuff. More promising still, those at Arsenal confirm that he is no shrinking violet when it comes to speaking up in the dressing room.
“A new arrival, maybe, but the 24 year-old is not afraid to say his piece. Of course, that is how it should be. Strong voices and views go hand in hand with successful teams. If Mustafi contributes to the debate, that can only be good at a time when Per Mertesacker, a respected voice, is injured long-term.
“Mind you, Mertesacker’s compatriot might be the future now as a quicker, more mobile alternative in central defence. Early days, I know, but those protracted negotiations with Valencia that ended up with Arsenal agreeing to pay a sizeable transfer fee in the summer, £35m or so, are starting to look shrewd. Wenger appears to have recruited a player who adds value to the squad – never easy when the bar is set pretty high.”
Smith highlighted Mustafi’s physicality, and that appears to be backed up by a look at his stats so far this season in all competitions.
On a per-game basis, the former Valencia man has made more effective clearances, and won more tackles, more duels, and more aerial duels than any other Arsenal defender.
His interception rate is second only to left-back Nacho Monreal, and he has also impressed with his ball recovery.
| Position | Team | Won Tackle GAME | Effective Clearance GAME | Duel Won GAME | Aerial Won GAME | Interception GAME | Ball Recovery GAME | Poss Won Def 3rd GAME | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shkodran Mustafi | DF | Arsenal | 2.67 | 5.17 | 7.83 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 4.67 | 2.67 | 540 |
| Nacho Monreal | DF | Arsenal | 1.78 | 2 | 5.22 | 1.33 | 3.33 | 6.56 | 3.89 | 779 |
| Rob Holding | DF | Arsenal | 1.33 | 4 | 7.33 | 5 | 1.33 | 5.33 | 2.67 | 270 |
| Laurent Koscielny | DF | Arsenal | 0.88 | 4 | 4.75 | 3.13 | 2.5 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 720 |
| Kieran Gibbs | DF | Arsenal | 0.67 | 0.33 | 1.67 | 0 | 0.33 | 1 | 0.33 | 52 |
| Héctor Bellerín | DF | Arsenal | 0.56 | 1 | 3.67 | 1.11 | 1.78 | 3.89 | 2.44 | 810 |
With the partnership between Mustafi and Koscielny blossoming, it seems highly likely that the duo will continue as Arsene Wenger’s first-choice pair even once Mertesacker has returned from injury.
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