Arsenal are reportedly at least €30m away from Shakhtar Donetsk’s valuation of Mykhaylo Mudryk, who remains their priority January target.
L’Equipe report that Arsenal’s winter priority is Mykhaylo Mudryk, and the Gunners are ready to offer €50m (£44m) for the winger. However, Shakhtar Donetsk are looking for a deal in the region of €80m (£70.4m).
Publicly, the Ukrainian club are pushing for even more than that. The Athletic report that Shakhtar are making public suggestions they expect as much as €100m, something manager Igor Jovicevic repeated again last week.
“For my game, wingers are very important,” Jovicevic said. “So having a player who thinks how to become the best in the world is only good for the team.
“When you talk to him, you see in his eyes only the ball and the goal of how to become better. He wants to be the best all the time – in the canteen, in the gym, in training.
“From the moment the ball is received, Mudryk is already facing the opponent’s goal, which is why he is worth €100m.”
The Athletic claim Arsenal are focusing on the addition of a wide player over a pure no. 9, despite the loss of Gabriel Jesus to injury, and Mudryk is their key target. David Ornstein has previously confirmed the Gunners are in talks over the transfer.
Mudryk is excited by the prospect of a move, and Mikel Arteta is hoping Arsenal can get their business done quickly in the winter window – though he accepts that may not be realistic.
“We knew the importance of getting players early in the summer and that is the same we want to do in January,” Arteta said.
“This is idealistic. Sometimes it is not realistic. But obviously, if you ask my opinion, as quick as possible we want the players in to get settled.
“But what we can not afford to do is get a player here that is not for us. This is what we can not afford, that is for sure.
“We don’t need a body, we need players that make the team better. I think personalities that have the mentality that we want to win.
“And we have to focus on that. We have to be very strict with what we have done and the policy we have had to make the team successful.”