Arsenal transfer news: Shkodran Mustafi transfer 'held up' with Gunners reluctant to meet Valencia's £30m valuation

Arsenal value the centre-back at around the £20m mark and are reportedly unwilling to meet the Spanish club's asking-price

Arsenal’s move for Valencia defender Shkodran Mustafi appears to have been held up with reports suggesting that the Gunners are reluctant to meet the Spanish side's high asking-price.

Valencia are demanding £30m for the Germany international, according to the Daily Mail, but Arsenal have valued the centre-back at around the £20m mark.

It was believed that Mustafi had agreed in principle a five-year deal to move to Arsenal but the Spaniards are adamant that their player won’t be leaving for anything less than their valuation.

Talks are still continuing between the two clubs with Arsenal still hopeful of concluding a deal in the coming days.

To complicate matters, Valencia have instead offered Mustafi’s defensive partner to the north London club, Aymen Abdennour, but Arsene Wenger has fixed his sights firmly on the German.

West Brom defender Jonny Evans is reportedly in consideration if the move for Mustafi falls through.

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has hit out against Arsenal’s summer transfer policy and their failure to land the right players.

"It breaks my heart to say but I can’t recall the last time an Arsenal fan really looked forward to the start of the season," Wright wrote in his column in the Sun.

"Yes, we all know these days it is about profits and balance sheets. But that cannot be at the total exclusion of everything else.

"Speculate to accumulate? There is not a great deal of the former at Arsenal. And unless they are prepared to do so, you really do fear the worst."

Meanwhile, Wenger’s injury woes have taken another turn for the worse with fears that Aaron Ramsey could miss up to three weeks of the season with a hamstring injury he sustained in Sunday’s loss to Liverpool.

However, Arsenal’s selection problems should ease this weekend with Laurent Koscielny, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud all expected to return from their extended leave following Euro 2016.