Arsenal report: Gunners on red alert as Premier League rivals vow to sign Mykhailo Mudryk

By Greg Lea
published

Arsenal are facing stiff competition from a fellow English club for the signature of the forward

Mykhailo Mudryk
Arsenal-linked Mykhailo Mudryk of Shakhtar Donetsk celebrates after scoring during the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic and Shakhtar Donetsk on 25 October, 2022 at Celtic Park in Glasgow, United Kingdom. (Image credit: Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)

Arsenal are on red alert amid reports that Chelsea are determined to beat their London rivals to the signature of Mykhailo Mudryk.

The Shakhtar Donetsk forward was linked with a switch to the Emirates Stadium last summer, but Arsenal (opens in new tab) were unable to get a deal over the line.

They were always likely to renew their interest in the Ukraine international when the market reopened for business at the start of January.

Mykhailo Mudryk of Shakhtar Donetsk prior to the UEFA Champions League match between Celtic and Shakhtar Donetsk on 25 October, 2022 at Celtic Park in Glasgow, United Kingdom

Arsenal are pushing hard to sign Mykhailo Mudryk this month (Image credit: Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)

But Shakhtar are driving a hard bargain for their prized asset, with the Daily Mail (opens in new tab) writing that Arsenal have had an offer of £62m turned down for a player who is valued at £35.3m by Transfermarkt (opens in new tab).

And the Independent (opens in new tab) has revealed that Chelsea (opens in new tab) are increasingly confident that they can steal in and beat Arsenal to the signature of the 22-year-old.

Chelsea have told Shakhtar that they are willing to better any offer that Arsenal make for the talented starlet.

The Ukrainian giants are holding out for a fee of around £88m for their main man, and Chelsea would be willing to meet their demands.

Todd Boehly, the club's co-owner, is willing to back Graham Potter in the transfer market amid a poor run of form.

Mykhailo Mudryk of Ukraine reacts during the friendly match between Borussia Monchengladbach and Ukraine on 11 May, 2022 at BORUSSIA-PARK in Monchengladbach, Germany.

Mykhailo Mudryk (Image credit: Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images)

Chelsea have won only one of their last seven matches in the Premier League, and they head into Thursday's meeting with Manchester City (opens in new tab) in 10th place.

Potter's side will then face City in the third round of the FA Cup this weekend.

More Arsenal stories

Arsenal are one of the clubs who have been linked with a move for Brighton's Argentine World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister, but the midfielder says he is in no haste to leave the Seagulls (opens in new tab).

Meanwhile, the Gunners are said to have been put off an approach for Joao Felix due to Atletico Madrid's asking valuation of the Portugal star (opens in new tab).

And Lukas Podolski has revealed (opens in new tab) he always expected former Arsenal team-mate Mikel Arteta to become a manager.

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Greg Lea
Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).