Valencia boss, Pako Ayestaran, has claimed that Shkrodran Mustafi is not for sale so… what on earth do Arsenal do now?

On Monday, Spanish football expert, Guillem Balague, said that Valencia wouldn’t sell Mustafi and the German’s release clause is €50m. Now, Valencia’s manager appears to have backed that up, confirming to Radio Taronja that the club president has informed him that neither Mustafi or Barcelona target, Paco Alcácer, are leaving the club.

“Mustafi is not for sale and he will stay at VCF,” he told reporters, claims ESPN.

“The market is open and there are still possibilities.

“With Alcacer, I can be as firm as with Mustafi, [club president] Lay Hoon already said it.

“The president has said in public that Alcacer and Mustafi are not for sale and I have to believe her.”

Is Ayestaran bluffing? The manager does mention that the window is still open, so they could be holding out for more money. However, all we can do as spectators is watch the drama unfold.

Wenger rarely mentions a transfer target by name and recently he confirmed that we are in negotiations with the Spanish club but has this all fallen apart?

If it has, then what’s next? Jonny Evans from West Brom who is reportedly going to set us back £25m? Arsenal have been linked to multiple defenders but I have an awful feeling we’ve put our eggs in one Mustafi-shaped basket.

If this Mustafi deal hasn’t worked out, the backlash towards the club and Arsene Wenger is going to be huge.