Mykhaylo Mudryk 'tells Shakhtar Donetsk he wants Arsenal move'

Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk reportedly has no intention of having a change of heart regarding a transfer to Arsenal.

The 21-year-old has emerged as a key player for both Shakhtar and Ukraine, resulting in frequent speculation with regards to his future.

As well as contributing 12 goals and 17 assists in 42 outings for his club, Mudryk made the breakthrough on the international scene in 2022 by earning eight caps.

Since the summer, a number of Premier League clubs have been credited as admirers, including Arsenal before they had opened up a lead at the top of the top-flight standings.

However, the Gunners have recently faced two stumbling blocks, most notably Shakhtar's insistence that they want to recoup in excess of £82m for Mudryk as a result of Manchester United paying that fee for Antony.

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Furthermore, at a time when Arsenal's bid have been considerably below that figure, Chelsea are said to have informed Shakhtar that they are prepared to offer more than their London rivals.

Shakhtar chief Darijo Srna has spent the past couple of days in England and attended the fixture between Chelsea and Manchester City on Thursday night.

Nevertheless, according to 90min, Mudryk continues to have his sights set on a transfer to the Emirates Stadium before the end of the month.

While Mudryk is aware of the level of interest from Chelsea, his preference remains linking up with Arsenal after previously namechecking them in an interview last year.

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As it stands, Arsenal's current bid is allegedly in the region of £60m, one which is unlikely to tempt Shakhtar into cashing in on their most prized asset in January.

Mikel Arteta is eager to add another attacking player to his squad as a result of Gabriel Jesus being sidelined until at least the end of February.

With Eddie Nketiah currently filling the void and other players able to deputise down the middle if required, there is more leeway for Arsenal to remain focused on a wide player such as Mudryk.

However, he still has just under four years remaining on his contract at Shakhtar, something which will be taken into consideration by Shakhtar when continuing to assess any future proposals.