As quoted by Sky Sports, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has revealed Shkodran Mustafi has been given a chance to prove himself.

What did he say?

The Germany international hasn't enjoyed the greatest of times at the Emirates, with things coming to a head last season when his blunder allowed Wilfried Zaha to score, and consign the Gunners to a damaging defeat in their chase for Champions League football.

This campaign has seen him feature far less regularly, with the former Valencia man making just ten appearances across all competitions, and just 170 minutes of football in the Premier League. But with the Gunners in the middle of a crisis at the back - Calum Chambers, Hector Bellerin and Kieran Tierney are all out injured - Arteta has opened the door for Mustafi to stake his claim, despite the German being linked with a move away this month.

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He said: "Can we afford (to lose a centre-back)? The ideal scenario is no. If it happens, we will have to invent something.

"I know his (Mustafi's) history at this football club, but it is up to him. I told everybody from day one: 'It is up to you guys. You show me how much you want it, you show me you are committed here, you are going to have a chance and it is going to come this week, next week or the following one'. They are all going to have the chance to play. After it is up to them to show it."

Second chance

Make no mistake about it, judging by the way he has barely played for the north London side this season, Mustafi could well have been on his way out of the football club very soon. But with circumstances changing, particularly on the injury front for Gunners, it has become a case of needs must.

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The decision to allow Dinos Mavropanos to go on loan, means Arsenal now only have four central defenders available to Arteta: Mustafi, Sokratis, David Luiz and Rob Holding. They have been linked with moves for the likes of Nathan Ake and Dayot Upamecano this month, but if they can't get a deal done, then they really have left themselves in a pickle.

And that could well mean Mustafi gets one final chance perhaps to show his worth to the side.

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