Arsenal, not Chelsea! Mudryk makes transfer intentions clear on Instagram

Stuart Telford

• 7 Jan 2023 10:24 GMT
• 5 min read

Mykhailo Mudryk has liked a post on Instagram claiming he "only wants to move to Arsenal this winter" amid transfer interest from Chelsea.

Mudryk has been Arsenal's top transfer target since last summer, but three goals and two assists in six Champions League games with Shakhtar Donetsk since a move failed to materialise have seen his asking price skyrocket.

"It's important that the offer is closer to [Jack] Grealish than to Antony," Shakhtar executive Carlo Nicolini said recently, comparing the €118 million Manchester City paid Aston Villa for the former to the initial €95m Ajax received from Manchester United for the latter.

READ: EXCLUSIVE: Arsenal aren't worried about Chelsea's Mudryk interest, writes Ben Jacobs

Mudryk has maintained all along that he wants the Arsenal move as much as the club do, but the Gunners' opening bid of €62m was dismissed out of hand.

Shakhtar sporting director Dario Srna was then pictured in Chelsea owner Todd Boehly's personal box at Stamford Bridge as the Blues lost 1-0 to Man City on Thursday.

'Mudryk ONLY wants Arsenal'

"Mudryk has made it crystal clear to his agent that he ONLY wants a move to Arsenal this winter," read a post by the arsenal_informer Instgram account, which Mudryk himself liked.

"This will make it next to impossible for Chelsea to hijack the deal due to the player's strong desire to play for the Gunners."

READ: Three cheaper alternatives to Mudryk for Arsenal

Mudryk is close friends with Arsenal left-back and Ukraine international teammate Oleksandr Zinchenko, and has been in touch with the former Man City man about playing under Mikel Arteta and life in North London in general.

While Arsenal remain keen on the player - who also has seven goals and six assists in 12 Ukrainian Premier League games this season - but they do not want a repeat of the Nicolas Pepe situation.

Arsenal paid a club record €80m for the Ivorian winger in 2019 but he is now on loan with Nice after an underwhelming spell at the Emirates.