Arsenal target Mykhaylo Mudryk “desperately wants” to join Mikel Arteta’s side at the Emirates Stadium this month, CBS journalist Ben Jacobs has told GiveMeSport.
The Shakhtar Donetsk and Ukraine winger has been linked with a move to the Gunners since the summer transfer window.
According to The Mirror, Arsenal’s pursuit of Mudryk has hit a stumbling block, with fellow Premier League side Chelsea also expressing an interest in the winger and reportedly prepared to pay the £88m price that Shakhtar are demanding for his signature.
The Ukrainian giants’ sporting director Darijo Srna and CEO Serhii Palkin were spotted in Todd Boehly’s executive box at Stamford Bridge for Thursday evening’s clash with Manchester City, but the same publication reports that the Gunners remain confident they are in a prime position to acquire the much-coveted 22-year-old.
The north London side have now made two bids of £52m and £62m in an attempt to get a deal for Mudryk over the line but both have been rejected, as per the Daily Mail.
Transfer insider Dean Jones has recently told GiveMeSport that Arsenal are in “open dialogue” with Shakhtar Donetsk over a deal for the eight-cap Ukraine international this month and Jacobs has hinted that the Gunners may still be leading the race, with the player showing a clear desire to move to the Emirates.
Jacobs told GiveMeSport: “Arsenal know that Mudryk wants that move, they have that player buy-in. So, this won’t necessarily be similar to the Raphinha situation, for example.
“Arsenal have always maintained publicly that with Raphinha, they somehow always knew that he wanted to join Barcelona, whether that’s PR or the reality of the situation.
“The reason I make the Raphinha comparison is because when Arsenal were bidding for Raphinha before Barcelona entered the race, Chelsea hijacked after Arsenal were preparing a third bid. They simply agreed on a high number quickly with Leeds, and then Arsenal exited the race. So, a lot of people might say it’s going to play out the same as Raphinha in that respect, specifically the relationship between Arsenal’s reaction to Chelsea agreeing a fee.
“The difference here is that Raphinha hadn’t fully made up his mind about any decision and ultimately, as we now know, was holding out for Barcelona. With Mudryk, he desperately wants Arsenal. Arsenal is his dream. Arsenal is the club he has been watching. Arsenal is the club that his teammates are joking he’s already joined. Arsenal is the club that he is making Instagram posts about. Arsenal is the club that he’s praising on record and saying he can’t say no to.”
