Arsenal in Mudryk boost as Shakhtar drop asking price

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:56 CDT
• 3 min read

Arsenal have received a significant boost in their pursuit of Shakhtar Donetsk attacker Mykhaylo Mudryk, according to reports.

The Gunners are one of several teams linked with a player dubbed the ‘Ukrainian Neymar’, though the Premier League leaders are considered to be the standout favourites to land him in the January transfer window at this point.

And the prospect of Mudryk going to Arsenal appear to have increased thanks to Shakhtar slashing the player’s asking price, according to a report in The Mirror.

MORE: ‘Arsenal have already made an important offer for Mykhailo Mudryk’

The Ukrainian side had previously indicated that they hoped to receive more than €100 million for the player, although that was always considered to be a fanciful sum given Mudryk’s limited exposure to top-level football as well as the political situation in the country.

Now it is reported that he could depart for a fee around the €46m mark.

MORE: How every Arsenal player on loan is performing this season

Will Arsenal move for Mudryk?

Even at that fee, Arsenal will feel there is significant room for negotiation over the player’s fee.

Mudryk has already spoken of his disappointment in Shakhtar naming a high asking price for him, which suggests that he is very open to the prospect of a move.

“I will not hide that I was very upset. The amount of €100m puts a barrier for my transition to the top championship, which I so dreamed of,” he told Sport Arena.

“I can't say that my dream was killed, but wounded - that's for sure.”

Meanwhile, the Gunners are thought to have a January transfer budget in the region of €58m (£50m), although it has been widely suggested that their aim is to land at least two players for this sum in order to bolster their Premier League title challenge.

If they were to spend €40m of this on Mudryk, it would eat up the majority of their budget and prevent them from strengthening other areas of their side, such as the midfield.