Shkodran Mustafi hands Arsenal major injury boost ahead of Premier League debut

Arsenal have been handed a major boost on the injury front with Shkodran Mustafi said to have recovered from the knock he suffered during Germany's friendly with Finland. The defender, who joined the Gunners on the penultimate day of the summer transfer window, went down clutching his ankle at the start of the second-half of the game, and despite going on to play the entire game, he looked to be in discomfort.

The defender's injury scare raised doubts about his availability for Arsenal's game against Southampton after the ongoing international break, but the player has confirmed his fitness after making himself available for Germany's World Cup qualifier against Norway on Monday (5 September).

"Focused on the start of the World Cup Qualifiers in Norway on Sunday!" the defender wrote on his official Twitter accountalongside a picture of him in training.

This will come as a big boost to Arsene Wenger, who has already lost senior centre-backs Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista to injury, and had to play 20-year-old Rob Holding, who has been impressive, as Laurent Koscielny's partner at the heart of Arsenal's defence for the first three games in the Premier League.

According to the London Evening Standard, the north London club are confident that Mustafi will be available to make his Arsenal debut against the Saints at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday (10 September).

Koscielny, who is now the senior central defender in Arsenal ranks, and also the skipper in the absence of Mertesacker, has compared his career to that of Kolo Toure. The Ivory Coast defender made a name for himself with the Gunners during the invincible season, before playing for Manchester City and Liverpool in the English top-flight.

"The Invincibles were amazing for Arsenal. They had an amazing season and there are a lot of French, like Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira and some good centre backs like Kolo Toure in there," the Frenchman told Arsenal's official site.

"I have the same career like him. He came here, nobody knew him and he became a very good centre back for the Arsenal and he had an amazing career in England.

"He is strong, he likes duels, aerial duels or on the floor, one against ones and he did a very good job for Arsenal," he added.