According to The Athletic, Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk is Arsenal’s “priority target” when the January transfer window opens in three weeks time.
The 21-year-old Ukraine international has been on the Gunners’ radar for quite some time and David Ornstein claims his sources think “there is a good chance it will happen, though nothing is agreed at present.”
At this point, it’s unclear how much Mudryk might cost interested parties. Brentford were pushing for a deal around the €25 million mark last summer but the player’s value is thought to have rocketed since he impressed in the Champions League.
🚨 Arsenal priority for January window is Mykhaylo Mudryk. No agreements but conversations happening & 21yo Shakhtar Donetsk winger keen. Sources say deal can be done for lower than €100m public valuation
➕ Latest of future of many others@TheAthleticFChttps://t.co/5UVcmsuIOY— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) December 12, 2022
At one point, his club, doing its utmost to start a bidding war, set the reserve at €100 million. They justified the price tag by comparing the prices achieved by Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmund for Jack Grealish and Jadon Sancho respectively. Clearly, nobody told them about the “English tax” or pointed out their asset is yet to test himself in a top-five European league.
Mudryk has spoken of his admiration for Arsenal and joked about the attention he’s received from the club’s fans on social media. At the same time, he made clear he wouldn’t be making any decision on his future until he hears directly from a manager about how he might be used.
Even before Ornstein’s latest information dropped, it was no secret that Arsenal are in the market for a winger.
In the summer, the club set aside approximately £50 million to sign Raphinha from Leeds United but were quickly gazumped by Barcelona. There was also loose links with the likes of Serge Gnabry, Jarrod Bowen, Cody Gakpo and others.
Never seen him play, but then that doesn’t prevent people from having an opinion, so I’ll just say that if we can struck a deal at a reasonable price, given his age and his recent performances, it looks like a good deal for us.
And if he does perform, might it mean that Saka will start to be tried centrally?
Not Saka, more likely Martinelli
He’ll need to improve his closing down and defending, I didn’t see much of that while watching him in the Champions League.
Apart from that he’s electric.
Can he play up top for a few months at least 🤔
He plays in a team where he has to make it all happen “literally” so I guess he can be forgiven for his lack of defensive efforts
I’m sure those minor details can be ironed out tho
They will have to be.
Part of Artetas non-negotiables
Even though he has spent the majority of his short career so far on the left, I could see Mudryk being used more on the right as Saka backup, as we already have Martinelli and ESR as options on the left.
We did try to sign Raphinha who is used mostly on the right.
If we can glean anything from Arteta’s transfer dealings it’s that he really values versatility and expects players to be able to perform a number of roles.
Just a little concerned about his eagerness to throw his boyhood club under the bus to make this happen.
Feels a bit Sami Nasri to me. I’m all for ambition. But he’s been a little disrespectful and needlessly ruthless IMHO.
Great for us. Except when Man City come knocking in a few years.
What did he say exactly? I’m not one for social media.
He did spend some time at Arsenal Kyiv though, certainly gets brownie points for that.
He did an interview where he said he wanted to move and Arsenal were awesome. Then he liked a bunch of AFTV posts about him coming. Then he said his transfer fee was too high and should be lowered. And has been generally flirting with Arsenal in the media for about a month. It’s not like he’s being toxic or anything. But if he was an Arsenal player, I’d be seriously annoyed at his antics and feel he’s disrespecting the club. But hey, judging from the thumbs down, I suppose you’re only unprofessional if you do that while you’re at… Read more »
Ah I see. Yeah I see your point.
Nobody should disrespect Wax Tap. I’m sure someone there gave him an earful for it, but I don’t see any reason to get our own bees in a bonnet. Anyway, the real question is, can he hold a candle to Martinelli? If so, let’s hope we get this sealed!
He was being interviewed by Zinchenko’s wife…. I’m sure Arsenal was a topic – sounds like the club and players know he’s destined for bigger things, and have joked about Arsenal. I don’t see him being disrespectful, just ready to move to the next step in his career.
He plays for a club who are well known for selling their best players on a regular basis, and is no doubt aware that it’s just a matter of time before – as the club’s current best player – he too is sold. So I have no problem with him seeking to get the best club & deal for himself in that context, Throwing his current club under the bus? No, he’s just looking after his interests in the same way that the club are looking after theirs. A little disrespectful & ruthless? No, he’s just looking after his interests… Read more »
It’s largely because his current chairman is being an utter dickhead placing a £100m+ price tag on him.
Even the player himself knows that his current market value is probably £60m tops.
Mate, the fact that he wants to sign for us, now, should tell you something. He ‘trusts the process’
City, for all their money, do not have the project that’s emerging quite nicely here.
If we keep on the same trajectory – and signing Mudryk will only enhance that – then hanging on to our top players, including him, will be a darn sight easier than the anti Arsenal media would have us all believe.
Have some faith mate. 😉👍
Saka of course would be brilliant centrally – as he’s brilliant anywhere – but I don’t see Arteta suddenly changing his position mid-season.
Could we be looking at shifting Odegaard into the Xhaka role and moving Saka into the middle?
Xhaka is the best CM in the premier league.
Let’s not forget that.
We don’t play for a few weeks and I hear the “Xhaka replacement” stories coming again.
Xhaka is the perfect player for Arsenal right now. And if we sign Tielemans or Danilo or fricking Gavi and Pedri, they have to come through Granit first.
I didn’t mean immediately, maybe from next season. It would be idiotic to take out Xhaka now when he’s a central part of the team that’s top of the table.
I’m not clued up as to Xhaka’s contract situation or how long he plans to stay with us, but sooner rather than later we’ll need to look at how to replace him.
Seems like unnecessarily shifting too many pieces of the puzzle doesn’t it?
Dumping Xhaka midseason would be harsh! Especially during his best ever season with us.
Mudryk/ESR on the left, Martinelli/Eddie up front, Saka/Nelain on the right.
Everyone else, as you were.
That’s as good a solution as any until Jesus rises again at Easter.
*Nelain..?!! 😂 Nelson.
Fucking auto… 🙄
He already has “Jesus” tattooed on his neck, so at this point I think the announcement is just a formality.
And on the left hand side of his neck. 😉
50mill max. Take it or leave it. If they dont bite, move on.
100%, sounds like a talented kid but you never know how anyone will transition into the prem. We need someone who’s gonna hit the ground running, who can’t afford to be given the same time to adapt as someone like Fabio Vieira as it’s gonna cost us points we can’t afford to drop.
Mudryk doesn’t necessarily need to hit the ground running as he won’t go straight into our first 11.
He’s likely being signed as an alternative option for Martinelli/Saka. His pace and drive to come off the bench in the 70th minute if we need a goal.
January is a good time to sign a young player from abroad like that, give them a few months to get up to speed with Artetaball and the Premier League, and he’ll be completely ready for the 22/23 season when we’re back in the Champions League.
I like this take, sounds like a sensible approach. Similar to Odegaard’s bedding-in period. Came in in January, took a few months to acclimatise to the team and the league, then really had a good first season after the deal was made permanent.
Oops I meant 23/24 season.
Agreed, let’s not be held to ransom. The player clearly wants the move so that will work in our favour.
A lot of money for a 21 years old coming from the 12th strongest league in Europe. Especially as Barca got Raphinha for 55m.
Exactly my thinking. Kid looks like a real deal but still it’s a few seasons to shape him to the level of the league and what Mikel will want from him. So them asking 100m or close is brutally unrealistic. For that reason I can understand him agitating for a move a bit if he’s dealing with complicated management there.
I would go in at £60m. £80m tops.
Anything higher is plain fucking daft.
In the short term, If this means martinelli upfront to try and replicate what we will miss with Jesus being out, i’m all for it. A bi-product would be martinelli getting to know that role better, providing cover for the future, and a space in the starting 11 for Murdyk/ESR to fight for
The only way I see Mikel moving Martinelli upfront in the middle of the season is if drastic circumstances forces it.
Which could be either Nketiah gets injured, or if results after Christmas take a significant nose-dive and Eddie goes several games without scoring.
In which case, Mikel would have to do something to hit the reset button.
Eddie probably was given assurances that he’ll lead the line if GJ is unavailable. Otherwise, why staying if then he’s usurped by someone who’s more natural and playing well on the wing? I know GM played upfront and was good, but, you know, what I said.
Mate, Jesus isn’t back until April and there is no way Eddie is going to be able to play up front in the three competitions we’re in.
Martinelli up front in some of those games isn’t a choice; it’s going to be a necessity.
Top post, spot on.
Price has to make sense. At the end of the day there aren’t that many clubs in world football who can afford to pay €30m+ anymore, as we well know when it’s come to shifting players like Pepe. I get that there is likely to be much more competition to get him but Atletico are clearly looking for an exit route with Felix. Given his considerable experience already at the top level he’d be the better signing if we’re looking at something closer to €100m. Gakpo clearly also has to still be on the shortlist having seen first hand what… Read more »
Felix is quite slow, he’s more of and odegaard type for me than a wide player. And he’d cost a pretty penny but if he’s available for less than what they paid, maybe it makes sense. Gakpo for me is not the player for us, not the right level.
Felix is not slow. in terms of playing style, ability, and versatility i think felix is an outstanding luxury signing. i think his fee and wages make it a pretty unfeasible deal – i expect he’ll go to a psg/be a high profile signing for a club with a less rigid wage structure than ours.
If we are talking about getting a winger: What about leroy sane then?
Wishful thinking but I hardly think we’re in a position to be plucking players from Bayern’s first 11.
The week’s assignment: Consume all the Mudryk threads on Twitter and the Mudryk comps on YouTube.
Studying for a degree in sports journalism are we?
I can’t help thinking that it was better when they had to make shit up themselves, rather than just recycling other people’s made up shit off teh internets.
Sounds like Grimer’s final evolution…
Grimer>Muk>Mudryk
Would love Joao Felix as an alternative. Really enjoy watching him play and he’s at a good age that is in line with the team being built
Atletico may be open to offers but it would take ridiculous money to sign him. Probably close to €100m.
He’s allegedly on €280,000 a week so would he be willing to take a significant pay-cut.
Seems like a natural goalscorer. Martinelli and Saka are terrific, but they’re not hitting the Salah/Mane numbers yet. No reason to believe it won’t come though.
He’s a relentless inside forward from the left wing like Martinelli but I’m not sure how well he defends.
anyone knows why other teams are able to conclude deals during the season, announced and the player joins during transfer window and we cant? Chelsea and Madrid do it a lot.
From the limited games I have seen from him, each time he has shown great skill to pass players, pace and decent finishing. He scares people. And being applauded when subbed off vs Madrid away, by the Madrid fans, should say something to his performances. He’s 21 so plenty to improve on and get better at but he looks very exciting and tough to play against. I did wonder if a J.Felix loan with option to buy would be looked into as well….
I think Shaktar tried to use Antony’s price as a comp. Makes that signing by united even more annoying.
Only pay that much if it’s Bellingham. (OK, yes, he’d cost more.)
This kid Mudryk could be good, but he’s not 100 million good. When they spent 75 mil on Pepe, who was no better than Gervinho, I’d have thought they learned their lesson.
Just watch Arteta and Edu blow the title.
We need an experienced centre-forward who can score 15 to 20 goals between now and the end of the season; we’re going to get a 21-year-old rookie who will probably need a couple of seasons to develop into a top-class player.
And we’re going to rely on Eddie Nketia.
Season over.
15-20 goals between now and the end of the season?? You want Henry?!?! seriously. We have 24 games left in the league (which given your concern about them blowing the title is what I assume is your focus)… who on Earth could we bring in that would even remotely (and optimistically)be projected to get that many goals between now and the end of the season… Haaland??
The loss of Jesus is big, but why be so pessimistic? Why not take the approach of “we can still do it w some luck” and then see what happens? The season is far from over, Harland could get injured, pep has a meltdown, UAE decide they’ve done enough sports washing and sell the club to Mike Ashley. Anything is possible until it’s not.
Sell McCity to Mike Ashley 😂 That would be sweet.
We should sign Giroud 😉
Mate, you’ve either got your tongue firmly fixed in your cheek or you are one miserable defeatist mother fuck.
If it’s the former, save it for April 1st, if it’s the latter, then ffs cheer up and get a life – we’re top at Christmas and five freaking points clear.
But look who he scored and assisted against in the Champions League. No disrespect but those teams would struggle in the Premier League, where lower half teams are way more organised and filled with internationals than even 2-3 years ago. Make no mistake now is the time for Shaktar to cash in on him and it is totally within their right to do so. But overspending on someone who may become an important squad player than first team starter would send shockwaves through our delicately balanced negotiations with Saliba, Saka and Martinelli. If you could choose between the following two… Read more »
For me the ideal ideal scenario is that ESR becomes a decent false nine. We adjust tactically to enable Martinelli and Saka to stay up the pitch for longer. And One of our squad players levels up as cover for ESR’s position, Reiss could potentially be comfortable in the premier league coming off the left. I believe a few of his goals in Germany came off the left wing. There is a little bit of Auba about him in that he doesn’t provide much when off the ball and on the ball he doesn’t have the combination play with those… Read more »
Opposition teams seem to have found a formula against us in blocking the channels by simply employing a full time(ish) 5 at the back. If Reiss can learn the timing and decision making intelligence that Saka has to vary his play to make the opposition full back AND centre back work hard and keep guessing, then we could see a false nine as a viable option if Martinelli and Reiss can capitalise on the space a false nine may create. I’d love to see ESR drop deep, spin off his marker and play some dangerous balls through to Saka/Reiss/Martinelli either… Read more »
Since Mudryk will be relatively expenisve. Isn’t it better to buy Joao Felix? Felix wants out, might be better to get a better fee for him?
Portugese, 23, well proven on Portugal and Atletico?
Yes.
Get him in. Fuck the money, we’ll more than make on this investment.
If there’s a title to be won, this lad will help us get over the line.
Sign him up.
COYG
A huge Pepe-sized yoke is still hanging on the club’s neck. Would we be second time lucky with a huge outlay on a 21 year old – about-to-turn-22-but-remains-21-until-then-because-that-is-how-it-works – unproven player?