Arsenal are prioritising a move for Mykhaylo Mudryk as they continue to negotiate a transfer fee with Shakhtar Donetsk. The Gunners are in need of a new attacker after Gabriel Jesus suffered a knee injury that will see him sidelined until February.
football.london understands an opening bid of £55million was rejected by Shakhtar, with Arsenal returning with an improved offer of £62million. Both bids fall well below the Ukrainian outfit's £88million valuation for Mudryk, with Chelsea now set to make a last-ditch attempt to hijack a move for the 22-year-old.
The Blues are thought to be willing to outbid any rival offer after holding talks with Shakhtar chiefs in London earlier this week. Shakhtar sporting director Darjio Srna was spotted watching Chelsea's 1-0 defeat against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Thursday night from Todd Boehly's private box, but Arsenal remain confident in their pursuit of Mudryk.
READ MORE: Mykhaylo Mudryk's agent breaks silence on Arsenal and Chelsea transfer with 'decision' claim
Despite the Ukraine international dropping hints on social media that he is desperate for a move to the Emirates Stadium, new reports have suggested Mudryk is 'torn' over whether to join Arsenal or Chelsea. The Gunners have been dealt a fresh blow after being told they have a "minimal" chance of signing the Shakhtar star in the January transfer window, as per the Evening Standard.
Ukrainian football agent Igor Kryvenko has warned Arsenal that the Ukrainian outfit will not look at the situation “realistically” and are instead eyeing a huge sum to make up for previous mistakes in the market. When asked about the Gunners' chances of signing Mudryk in January, Kryvenko told Footboom: “Minimal.
“Shakhtar won’t let Mudryk go for the money they are currently offering. €100m (£88m) is an inadequate price.
“A player from the Ukrainian championship cannot cost more than, for example, a player from the Netherlands. You have to look at things realistically.
"There is a market value, and Shakhtar seem to be taking figures from the ceiling. The guy [Mudryk] is in the ‘golden cage’.
"I know for sure that in the summer, Brentford offered good money for Mudryk, but the Donetsk team refused. It seems as if they want to reflect on their talent and everything that they lost in the past failed transfers.”
Mudryk's agent - Alexey Alekhin - recently broke his silence on transfer negotiations, telling Sport Arena: “Mudryk is a Shakhtar player and the decision on his transfer will be made by the board of the club. Mykhaylo is now preparing to go with Shakhtar to the training camp."
It looks increasingly likely that Arsenal will need to drastically improve their offer once again if they are to secure a deal for their main target and avoid Chelsea hijacking the deal. The Gunners are thought to have already agreed a five-year contract with the 22-year-old, but if a fee isn't agreed then the deal will not go through.
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