Recent reports from Evening Standard state that Arsenal are keen on signing Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhailo Mudryk in the upcoming transfer window as Mikel Arteta looks set to add to his attacking options in January.
So far, the Gunners have made some serious attempts to land their number one target; however, Shakhtar’s unwillingness to sell their star player in January has been the main stumbling block in the saga. The Ukrainian outfit’s objective is clear – to secure Champions League qualification by winning the league title, so selling their top scorer in the middle of the season might put a serious dent to their hopes of playing in Europe next season.
“I think every guy dreams about the Premier League. Arsenal is a very good team with a very good coach. I like the way they play. It would be hard to say no [to Arsenal].” – the 21-year-old said recently.
A fee in the region of £85 million could be demanded to let go of his services.
Is He Worth The £85m Price Tag?
Having come through the ranks at Shakhtar Donetsk itself, Mykhailo Mudryk made his debut on 11 May 2022, in the friendly game against Borussia Monchengladbach, scoring his first goal at the Borussia Park in Monchengladbach. The 21-year-old forward has made 42 appearances for the Miners so far, scoring ten goals and assisting seventeen more across all competitions.
Even this season, he has managed to put up some awe-inspiring numbers on the board – averaging 1.5 shots, 0.8 key passes, 1.7 dribbles, and 0.7 crosses per ninety minutes in the UEFA Champions League. While he’s primarily a left winger, his versatility allows him to slot in as an attacking midfielder or as a right winger in the hour of need.
Arsenal’s squad depth is very thin when it comes to the attacking department, hence, there’s no doubt that Mikel Arteta will have to add more firepower to the to the unit in order to perform consistently over the course of a 38-game season. Aged 21, Mykhailo Mudryk is one of the hottest commodities in Europe at the moment – and he fits the bill perfectly. The board should try their best to get this deal over the line in the upcoming months.
(Stats from WhoScored)
