Speaking to Sport Bild recently, Shkodran Mustafi admitted that his €41m price tag was between Arsenal and Valencia, not him; he just wanted a move to the Gunners.

The centreback admitted that he tries not to think about his transfer fee, which is probably a sensible decision considering it won’t help anybody. It’s done now and he’s proving to be a valuable asset to the starting XI.

“I wanted Arsenal, everything else I left to be negotiated between the clubs,” he told Sport Bild.

“Of course, this is an incredible sum (€41m). 

“And I know what a burden that can bring. Some people live on €200 to €300 per month. Especially in my second home in Gostivar (Republic of Macedonia). But I could not influence this. So I push it far away out of my head.”

The German has now made six starts in all competitions and his and Laurent Koscielny’s relationship on the pitch is growing by the game. They appear to understand each other and we’re already making less mistakes at the back. Although we’re far from perfect, it’s reassuring to see us progressing with the help of our new signing.

In regard to Mustafi’s price tag, yes, it was a lot of money for a defender but considering how badly we needed him and the fact that Arsenal had the cash to spare, he’s priceless. He shouldn’t feel any pressure, at least from us fans, anyway.