Schalke sign Shkodran Mustafi to replace Liverpool-bound Ozan Kabak
Schalke have signed experienced centre-back Shkodran Mustafi from Arsenal on a deal until the end of the 2020/21 season as a replacement for Ozan Kabak, who has joined Liverpool on loan.
Mustafi, 28, was part of the Germany squad that won the 2014 FIFA World Cup but has never played in the Bundesliga. The defender came through the youth academy at Hamburg before joining Everton in 2009.
Moves to Italy with Sampdoria and Spain with Valencia followed before a return to England with Arsenal in 2016, where he set a club record for the longest unbeaten start of 22 appearances.
The 20-time Germany international leaves London after 151 games for the Gunners, including two FA Cup medals, but having fallen out of favour in the last year. He arrives in Gelsenkirchen with Schalke bottom of the table and having the Bundesliga’s leakiest defence.
Mustafi also joins former Arsenal teammate Sead Kolasinac, who made the same move on loan earlier in the January window.
The move provides experienced cover in the centre of defence following Kabak’s loan move to Liverpool until the end of the season. The 20-year-old Turkey international has made 14 Bundesliga appearances this campaign and 55 over the course of his career with Schalke and VfB Stuttgart, scoring six goals.
Related news
Analysing Vincent Kompany's free-scoring, high-risk Bayern
The record champions are unbeaten, scoring for fun and top of the Bundesliga, but not quite note-perfect yet...
'Rivals but Friends' by Milka
Michelle and Steffi are fans of Bochum and Bayern - two clubs with not a lot in common in terms of footballing history, but ones that share the Bundesliga's longest fan friendship...
Vote for your October Bundesliga Goal of the Month!
Harry Kane and Michael Olise were among the Goal of the Month candidates in October, but who scored your favourite?