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Friday 21 February 2020 21:04, UK
Shkodran Mustafi has refused to rule out remaining at Arsenal beyond the end of the season after rebuilding his relationship with the club's fanbase following his recent resurgence.
Having been told by previous boss head coach Emery he was free to leave the club last summer and then being left out on a regular basis, Mustafi has earned a chance of reviving his Gunners career under Mikel Arteta.
Alongside David Luiz at the heart of the back four, Mustafi has played his part in three consecutive clean sheets and helped the team beat Olympiakos 1-0 in Thursday's Europa League round of 32 first leg.
Asked if he saw his future at Arsenal, he replied: "Why not? I have always taken things day to day.
"We had a game on Thursday, we have the next important game at the weekend and as long as I am playing for a club - it doesn't matter which one - I play now for Arsenal and played before for previous ones
"I always gave everything until the last minute and when I decide or when the club and I decide it is going to continue I am happy to continue, if not then we have to go forward."
Mustafi has struggled for form since moving to Arsenal from Valencia in 2016 and often comes in for criticism but his recent performances has seen him praised by fans and the 27-year-old admits building bridges with the supporters made his return to the team easier.
"It is always important to have a good relationship with the fans but for me the main thing was to be professional," he added.
"I always gave everything until the last minute and when I decide or when the club and I decide it is going to continue I am happy to continue, if not then we have to go forward."
Having a settled life away from the spotlight of the football pitch is something else Mustafi credits with helping him to kick-start his stuttering career in England.
"You know I think in the beginning of the season, not being selected, not making the squad, it has been difficult," he said.
"But I am a person who tries to see more the positive things than the negatives. I think that helped me a lot.
"Having my family around me - my kids, my wife - because life is not only football. That's something I kept remembering to myself.
"Being in training every day, playing a lot of games, you get a lot of attention but still at the end of the day I am a father of two kids and I try to focus on this as well. I am happy how it is running now.
"I am happy for the team as well because it is doing great and we are getting rewarded for it. That's the most important thing."
