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Unai Emery has revealed that he has opened the exit door for Shkodran Mustafi as Arsenal try to shift the error-prone centre-back before the end of the month.

Arsenal made their final additions to the club on Thursday, when David Luiz and Kieran Tierney joined for a combined £33million, but Emery has confirmed that they expect to sell players before the European transfer windows close later in August and early September.

Mustafi is top of the list of players Arsenal are hoping to move on and though he has been linked with Monaco and Roma the Gunners have not received any offers to sign a player they paid Valencia £35million for three years ago.

The 27-year-old, who has two years left on his contract, has offered no indication that he wants to leave the club despite being the subject of repeated boos from supporters during pre-season. Emery, however, hinted that he had told Mustafi his time could come to leave.

"I spoke with him when we finished last season, I spoke with him when we started pre-season and I spoke with him also two weeks ago saying maybe there was the possibility he can leave.

"But I don't have doubts if he needs to play because he is a good player. Maybe we decided to be more competitive in each position, at centre-back with David Luiz, with another player in the middle with [Dani] Ceballos, with Kieran Tierney, with [Nicolas] Pepe.

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"I think being more competitive we can respond better in the season. Some players maybe they can play less with that situation and can leave.

"But it's one decision taken with the player, with the club, with the team. At the moment he is here and really if we need, he plays with us. I have confidence he will do well."

Mustafi made a string of errors last season for Arsenal, costing his side crucial points against Tottenham and Crystal Palace that would ultimately have taken them into the top four had it not been for his individual errors.

Even in an impassioned defence of the World Cup winner late last season Emery admitted he was reluctant to play Mustafi in the heart of a four man defence and his comments on the belief he has in each centre-back offered a clear indication for the regard in which he holds the German.

"I have confidence in Sokratis and Chambers," Emery said before a slight pause. "I have confidence if we need to play with Mustafi."

The man Emery signed to replace both Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny, who left for Bordeaux for £4.6million, was Chelsea centre-back Luiz, another who has a reputation for being somewhat error prone.

However the Brazilian is likely to be a key cog in Emery's rearguard for the two years of his contract at Arsenal, though he may have to wait until next week's game against Burnley to make his debut.

"At the moment we need confirmation if he is OK for the federation to play Sunday," Emery said. I think we are going to know in the afternon or evening of Saturday.

"This morning he trained with us but not all because he was in London doing the visa. So tomorrow he is going to be training with us for the first day.

"At the moment we have another three centre-backs ready to play on Sunday and David Luiz. I am going to decide but I have real confidence with every player."