Arsenal have been one of the favourites to sign Ukrainian sensation Mykhaylo Mudryk for some time now, and a deal might finally be edging closer.
What’s the word?
It would almost be a surprise if Mudryk, 21-years-old and flying for Shakhtar Donetsk, both domestically and continentally, did not end up putting pen to paper with the north London outfit, with his teammates actually previously joking over the likelihood of the prospective deal.
And now, prominent Athletic reporter David Ornstein has shed further light on the deal, providing the clearest indication yet that a move may well be on the cards.
He said, via Twitter: “Arsenal priority for January window is Mykhaylo Mudryk. No agreements but conversations happening & 21yo Shakhtar Donetsk winger keen. Sources say deal can be done for lower than €100m public valuation.”
With Arsenal now able to whittle down the £86m fee, perhaps chopping it even further with additional add-ons and performance-related bonuses, the signs point toward deal completion.
Imagine him & Zinchenko
Mudryk has been nothing short of exemplary during his meteoric rise to ascension, with the winger netting ten goals and eight assists across 18 fixtures for Shakhtar this term.
This tally includes five goal contributions in the Champions League, with the “baller” – as dubbed by writer Sacha Pisani – scoring twice against Scottish champions Celtic, and his pedigree on the European stage has already been established ahead of a monumental move to the Gunners.
Predominantly a left-flanker, Mudryk succeeds where others fail, offering passing prowess beyond expectation and boasting pace and skill in abundance.
The eight-cap phenom would slot into a bustling offensive department at the Emirates Stadium, with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, and Gabriel Jesus bolstered by the creative demon that is Martin Odegaard in the middle, conducting the flow, pulling the strings.
Importantly, Mudryk could form a cohesive bond down the left with compatriot Oleksandr Zinchenko, who signed for Arteta’s team from English champions Manchester City for £32m this summer.
Zinchenko boasts a ball-playing talent that sets him apart from the majority of Europe’s full-backs, indeed ranking him within the top 4% of such footballers across Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion, and the top 2% for progressive passes.
The leap in quality would be drastic, but with Shakhtar’s chief Darijo Srna remarking him as “a serious talent” – behind only Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. this season – after bursting onto the scene and captivating with his blend of trickery and deadly precision.
Zinchenko’s aid in this respect would be critical, helping the starlet integrate into life in England and forming a torrent of devastating fluidity down the left, like a gushing river, and the Ukrainian bond would form one element of a team seemingly rising to the very, very top.
As per FBref, Mudryk ranks within the top 5% for dribbles completed and the top 6% for touches in the attracting penalty box when compared to positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues this past year, and his knack for goals only furthers the claim this budding star could eclipse the standards and emerge at the very top of the pool.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded Mudryk for being “on fire” earlier this term, but it is now coming to recognition that the gem is actually just proving his worth as one of the brightest sparks in the game, and at Arsenal, with Zinchenko behind him, he can flourish.
