Arsenal star Shkodran Mustafi has blasted the work of the media for their involvement in transfer speculation over the summer, something he says is ‘the biggest s***’.

A number of Gunners stars were linked with moves away from the Emirates over the summer, including the German defender.

Such speculation can often cause unrest within a team’s camp, and that’s something Mustafi appears to have hit out at – with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez also rumoured to be exiting the club.

“You like to get the s***, the biggest s***,” Mustafi said. “What happens in the changing room is the real thing.

“I have been talking to clubs or if I haven’t, it’s only rumours. I’m here, I’m standing in front of you in an Arsenal shirt.

“You want everyone to leave don’t you? We need the players, not everyone can leave. Obviously they are important and everyone in the team wants them to stay.

“If you look at what Mesut achieved, you have to give him credit and respect. It’s sometimes stupid to just go out and say ‘he’s not good enough, he’s not this or that’.”

The win over Spurs moved Arsenal just one point away from them in the table, all but ending speculation of a ‘power shift’ in North London, something Mustafi rubbished.

“As always, Arsenal is dead, Arsenal is not coming back,” he added.

“We always are alive, we always believe in ourselves but we all know that if you win the big games but lose the small games you’re not going to finish top of the league or even in the top four. If you win today and lose next weekend you are back where you were.”
[Quotes via Evening Standard]