Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has told Football London that Shkodran Mustafi is ‘completely fit to play’ following his injury issue.
Mustafi missed the start of this season with a knee injury, but was introduced back into Arsenal’s team on Sunday, when they took on Leicester City.
The German looked rusty in that display, as Jamie Vardy escaped his grasp for the winning goal.
Arteta, though, has been happy with Mustafi’s performances since he moved to the Emirates Stadium – and there has even been suggestions that he has been offered a new contract.
The Spanish boss said: “Musti’s completely fit to play and obviously the internal contract situations are going to be discussed internally.
“I’ve been really happy with Musti since I joined and the progress that he’s made, the performances that he’s made.
“It’s true that he has a long term injury and he’s worked really hard to get back in that position where he is today and I just want him to show again the trust that we have in him and get the performances that we got in the past from him as well.”
Mustafi’s return to fitness comes at a good time for Arsenal, as David Luiz has just been sidelined with injury.
With Arteta seemingly not trusting William Saliba to start regularly and Pablo Mari also on the treatment table, Mustafi could have a key role to play for the Gunners over the coming weeks.
The experienced central defender looks almost certain to start this evening, when Arsenal take on Dundalk in the Europa League.
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