Chelsea & Arsenal face fresh competition for 'next Mudryk' - Romano

Jacque Talbot

• Updated: 29 Dec 2023 14:56 GMT
• 3 min read

Arsenal and Chelsea have hit a snag in their pursuit of Georgiy Sudakov, with two other clubs now reportedly entering the race.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Juventus and Napoli have both approached Shakhtar Donetsk for the Ukrainian talent who has been compared to Mykhailo Mudryk.

It’s thought that Napoli are willing to buy Sudakov to replace Eljif Elmas, who is set to join RB Leipzig at the start of the January transfer window.

It has raised alarm bells for some. Chelsea secured the services of Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk in the last transfer window. The Blues paid a substantial €70 million, with reports suggesting the deal could eventually reach €100 million.

But the attacker’s on-field contributions have yet to match the fee. It was only recently in a match against Fulham that he registered his first goal for Chelsea. Despite this, both the Blues and their London rivals are already eyeing the next rising star from Shakhtar.

Sudakov has garnered attention with impressive performances at Shakhtar and the Ukrainian national team. With two goals in the current season and six goals in 20 games for Ukraine's U21s, the youngster has proven his form in front of goal.

Mudryk wants Sudakov at Stamford Bridge

As a senior international, Sudakov frequently shares the field with Mudryk, who admires his skills. Mudryk, expressing his support after assisting Sudakov in a U21 Euros victory over France, stated, “Usually it’s the opposite – he gives it to me and I score."

It's believed Mudryk is keen on a reunion with Sudakov at the club level and is actively encouraging Chelsea's hierarchy to pursue Sudakov in the upcoming transfer window. This suggests a potential collaboration between the two talented Ukrainians on the Premier League stage.