The German centre back is expected to become a Gunners player within the next 72 hours following extensive talks, as the club seek to add defensive cover to their squad

Arsenal look set to complete their fifth signing of the summer "within the next 72 hours" after Shkodran Mustafi verbally agreed to join the Gunners, Goal understands.

The 24-year-old Valencia defender has been courted by Arsene Wenger's side for several weeks and identified as the man to fill the void left by injuries to Per Mertesacker and Gabriel Paulista.

Both sides are yet to agree on a transfer fee, likely to be in the region of £25m plus add-ons, but Mustafi's agent Ali Bulut and father Kujtim have been in London over the past 48 hours where the player's personal terms were ironed out while Los Che's billionaire owner Peter Lim also arrived in London on Friday for continued talks with Arsenal official

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Mustafi, who played for Everton as a youngster before joining Sampdoria and then Valencia in 2014, will become Arsenal's fifth signing of the summer after the acquisitions of Granit Xhaka, Rob Holding, Takuma Asano and Kelechi Nwakali, while a forward is expected to follow before the transfer window closes on September 1.

An article emanating from Spain on Friday claimed that Mustafi's father had personally phoned Valencia to say that he and his son haven't heard of any interest from Arsenal, although a source close to the player has since dismissed those reports telling Goal that Mustafi has "accepted" Arsenal's offer.

Calum Chambers and Nacho Monreal look set to start in defence for Sunday's Premier League opener against Liverpool, with Laurent Koscielny only returning to training on Wednesday and Rob Holding considered inexperienced due to having just three weeks of pre-season training under his belt.