After a failed summer deal, Arsenal has been warned that they must “pay a lot” of money to recruit Mykhaylo Mudryk in January.
Mikel Arteta was anxious to improve his wide options following the departure of club record signing Nicolas Pepe, and the Gunners were linked with a bid for the promising Ukrainian winger in the dying days of the transfer season.
Arsenal had competition from Premier League rivals Everton and Brentford, who were both said to be interested in signing Mudryk, with the Toffees even going so far as to lodge a high-value bid with his current club Shakhtar Donetsk.
Darijo Srna, the Ukrainian club’s sporting director, has now spoken out on a possible sale, claiming that any trade would be significant, with the Shakhtar leadership taking a harsh position on Mudryk’s future, comparing him to Paris Saint-Germain phenom Kylian Mbappe.
In an interview, the former Croatian international stated: “We received a €30 million offer from Everton. And by refusing to sell a player for €30 million, especially in these difficult times, our president sends a statement to everyone that he wants to advance in the Champions League and win the championship.
“Mudryk is a serious talent. He is Europe’s greatest player in his position after Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. If someone wants to acquire Mudryk, they must pay a lot of money and show respect for our club and our president.”
It remains to be seen whether Arsenal or Everton will rekindle their interest in Mudryk during the January transfer window. This season, the 21-year-old has continued his stellar play, scoring a goal and providing three assists in four games across all competitions.
He has more than four years left on his current Shakhtar contract, but he has suggested that a move to the Emirates Stadium would be difficult to turn down.
“Arsenal is a terrific team with a good coach, and I enjoy the way they play,” Mudryk remarked. “I can’t say no to Arsenal, but the transfer isn’t solely my decision. There are several persons involved, including the president of Shakhtar and the club”.
“Every man fantasizes of playing in the Premier League. Everyone wants to play in the top league. But the speculation is over, and I must now focus on Shakhtar, and we will see what happens in the winter.
“There was a lot of talk about a move and clubs interested in me, but that’s natural. Now that I’m at Shakhtar, I want to play for them. I adore this group. I adore every single guy on this crew. Shakhtar is my home, yet I always want to grow and reach new heights. Now, all I can think about is Shakhtar, but we’ll see in the winter.”