Everton dodged a major bullet with Shkodran Mustafi | OneFootball

Everton have made a number of howlers when it comes to transfer decisions over the years with many players finding success after leaving the club, but there have been a small number that have failed to reach their potential after leaving Goodison Park.

One player who may seem like he has been successful since leaving Everton due to his high profile move to the Emirates back in 2016, but has failed time and time again to reach the potential predicted is Shkodran Mustafi.

Mustafi joined Everton Reserves from Hamburg U17s in 2009 on a free transfer, but after three years the defender failed to make it into the first team with just one game in the Europa League defeat to Belarussian side BATE Borisov and was eventually sold for just £68k to Sampdoria.

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The 29-year-old had even once said that his time at Everton was the “worst time I had as a footballer” in an interview with Arsenal Player relayed by Football365.

Despite failing to make a single league appearance for Everton, the former Arsenal defender went on to achieve some special things, winning a World Cup with Germany two years after he left Goodison Park, and then going on to win two FA Cups with the Gunners in 2017 and 2020.

Despite winning major trophies, the German has made a name for himself after making numerous defensive howlers and was dubbed “king of the blunders” by former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit.

His £35m move to the Emirates was full of potential but his tenure at the club saw him commit a number of high profile mistakes that cost his team over his 151 appearances and four and a half years at the club. As a result, he is now worth just £1.8m according to Transfermarkt.

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The calamitous centre half’s most notable blunders came in the 2018/19 season against Crystal Palace where he cost the side an important three points by giving away a penalty in the 82nd minute and then made the exact mistake again in the North London Derby needlessly conceding a late penalty handing Tottenham the three points.

Mustafi was eventually released by the club in 2021 and then released again by Schalke in the summer of 2021. He now plays for Levante, with the 29-year-old clearly unable to revive his career following his shocking time at Arsenal and it’s safe to say Everton clearly dodged a bullet this time.