Arsenal have been linked with a late move for Shakhtar Donetsk talent Mykhaylo Mudryk as Mikel Arteta targets the signing of a new winger.
Arteta is keen to add one or two more signings to his squad before the transfer window slams shut on Thursday, with a central midfielder now taking priority over a winger. Mudryk emerged as a target for the Gunners this week but face competition from Brentford who are looking to secure a £25million deal for the Ukrainian talent.
It's not the first time Brentford have looked to make a move for an Arsenal transfer target having already hijacked a deal for Aaron Hickey earlier this summer. Shakhtar are reluctant to lose the 21-year-old and any deal for Mudryk will be difficult to conclude before the transfer deadline.
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Speaking on the EGTV YouTube channel, CBS Journalist Ben Jacobs discussed Arsenal's interest in Shakhtar's talented winger admitting the Gunners have tracked Mudryk since he was 15-years-old. Jacobs said: “Arsenal have been linked with him for about two weeks. He’s not that well-known across the footballing landscape, he’s young, but a very exciting prospect.
"He’s 21 years of age, he’s been playing in Ukraine and he’s been tracked pretty much since he was at Dnipro. The reason for that is because he has good composure, pace and good movement off the ball as well."
Jacobs went on to say that the fact Mudryk knows Arsenal summer signing Oleksandr Zinchenko, from his time with the Ukraine international team, may bode well for the north Londoners if they are to actively pursue the 21-year-old. “He’s not only versatile, but he’s comfortable on both sides and that fits the Arsenal profile, he has two good feet and he knows Zinchenko well so that may help in negotiations," Jacobs added.
A move for Mudryk could prove difficult though with Shakhtar reluctant to lose their young talent, having already lost many players due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Premier League rivals Brentford are prepared to bid £25.7million for the youngster, as per The Athletic, potentially repeating the transfer trick they used to sign Aaron Hickey despite the Gunners being interested in signing the Scottish defender.
Technical director Edu is said to focusing on searching for a new central midfielder, following injuries to Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny, rather than a winger. It is shaping up to be a hectic 48 hours at the Emirates Stadium with a number of fringe players including Hector Bellerin and Ainsley Maitland-Niles still expected to leave the club.
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