According to reports Arsenal have agreed a fee for Deportivo de La Coruña striker Lucas Pérez and are “very close” to agreeing a deal with Valencia for defender Shkodran Mustafi. The fee for Pérez is believed to be around £17 million, while Mustafi is set to cost £35 million.
Arsenal have beaten Everton to signing of Deportivo La Coruna striker Lucas Perez. Deal agreed, #AFC meeting €20m release clause, 17.1m #EFC
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 25, 2016
Arsenal close to agreeing deal to sign Valencia centre-back Shkodran Mustafi. #AFC will pay fee in excess of £35m for Germany international
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 25, 2016
Arsenal agree fees for Perez and Mustafi
Lucas Pérez, 27, scored seventeen goals and provided eight assists in La Liga last season. It is believed that Arsenal will pay £17.1 million (€20m) after triggering the striker’s release clause. The Gunners initial offer was rejected by Deportivo after they offered to pay for the striker in two instalments. The 27-year-old was believed to have been a target for Everton as they look to add to their attacking options.
Pérez came through Atlético Madrid’s youth academy but failed to break in to the first team. Since then, the Spaniard has played for five clubs including Rayo Vallecano, PAOK and Dynamo Kyiv before returning to Spain last season. As well as being a talented finisher Perez is also a very talented passer of the ball and has good long-range shooting.
Arsenal ‘agree fee for Mustafi’
According to the Telegraph, Arsenal have agreed a £35 million fee with Valencia for defender Shkodran Mustafi. After coming under scrutiny for his lack of signings Arsene Wenger looks to have finally gotten the player Arsenal have been linked with all summer.
Mustafi made 42 appearances for Valencia last season scoring twice. The defender also made two appearances at the European Championships for Germany this summer and scored against Ukraine in a 2-0 win. The 24-year-old returns to England after four years away. The defender came through the Everton youth academy but played just once for the Toffees. The German revitalised his career in Italy at Sampdoria, before spending two successful years at Valencia.
Deals for Mustafi and Lucas Pérez will take Arsenal’s spending close to £100 million – the highest in their history. Arsenal have signed five new players this summer. Earlier they signed Granit Xhaka, Rob Holding and Takuma Asano.
Main Photo: MARSEILLE, FRANCE – JULY 7: Shkodran Mustafi of Germany vies for the ball during the UEFA Euro 2016 semi final match between Germany and France at Stade Velodrome in Merseille, France on July 7, 2016. (Photo by Metin Pala/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
