'Mustafi and I will always have a bond'

Per Mertesacker says he and Shkodran Mustafi “will always have a certain bond”.

The defenders were part of Germany’s World Cup-winning squad in 2014 - and our new captain believes his compatriot will settle quickly in north London.

“Another new option in defence is Shkodran Mustafi, someone I know quite well from the German national team,” Mertesacker told the matchday programme. “It’s funny because when you’ve achieved something together, like winning the World Cup, you’ll always have a certain bond for the rest of your life.

“When we see each other, we have smiles on our faces because what we achieved together goes beyond football. We’ve spoken a lot since he signed.

“He speaks very good English and we need him to be a vocal leader on the pitch. He’s definitely capable of that, as is Granit Xhaka.”