Arsenal have agreed to pay €41 million to sign Valencia's Shkodran Mustafi, with the purchase of the Germany defender and Deportivo la Coruna striker Lucas Perez set to take the north London club's spending in the summer transfer window close to close to €120 million.

Arsene Wenger has been under pressure to strengthen his defensive options after long-term injuries to Per Mertesacker and Gabriel, with Mustafi identified as the Frenchman's No1 target weeks ago.

Having initially bid around €23 million for the 24-year-old, who was on Everton’s books as a teenager before moving to Sampdoria in 2012, Valencia were insistent that he was not for sale.

However, negotiations have continued since then and an agreement was finally reached on Friday, with Mustafi set for a medical before the weekend having agreed personal terms with the club.

The news will come as a huge relief for Arsenal supporters after a poor start to the season that has seen them pick up just a solitary point from their opening two Premier League fixtures.

Mustafi looks set to be joined in north London by Lucas, who scored 17 goals last season and opened his account for this season with the winner against Elbar last Friday. The 27-year-old, who was also wanted by Everton, has a buyout clause of around €20 million and is also expected to travel to London on Friday to complete his move.

(Guardian service)