Mikel Arteta has described Shkodran Mustafi’s injury as ‘really nasty’ confirming that the defender will be out long term and will miss the start of next season after ripping the tendon from his bone.

Arsenal's German defender Shkodran Mustafi (C) is helped off the pitch injured during the English FA Cup semi-final football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in London, on July 18, 2020. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / POOL / AFP)
Arsenal’s German defender Shkodran Mustafi (C) is helped off the pitch injured during the English FA Cup semi-final football match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in London, on July 18, 2020. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / POOL / AFP)

It had initially been hoped that Mustafi’s hamstring strain was just that, a strain, but it seems as if it’s a tear, an a quite significant one at that.

Speaking after Arsenal’s final league game of the season against Watford on Sunday, Arteta was asked about the German missing the FA Cup final next weekend.

“It looks a really nasty injury again,” Arteta replied when asked how Mustafi was dealing with missing the cup final.

“We have lost Calum Chambers after the week I arrived here. We lost Pablo [Mari] for three months. We lost Musti.” Let’s not also forget Gabriel Martinelli who will not be back before the end of 2020.

Arteta was then asked if he expected the injury to keep Mustafi out ‘long-term’. “I think so” the Spaniard replied.

“Yes, he will [miss the start of next season].

“He pulled the tendon of the bone of his hamstring and that’s normally a lot of weeks.”

Next up, Arteta was asked if he would be looking to do something about that in the transfer window which is now officially open. “I already mentioned to you three central defenders that are not available and we haven’t had them available for a long time anyway during this season,” he replied.

“We will have to address that.”

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