Arsenal's interest in Shakhtar Donetsk forward Mykhaylo Mudryk is well-documented, but question marks over just how much money the young talent could cost the Gunners persist.
Mudryk has attracted plenty of interest from all over Europe, but it is thought to be Mikel Arteta that is the manager most keen on pursuing a deal for the 21-year-old. With that being said, it certainly isn't going to come cheap, as Shakhtar director Darijo Srna has sent the Gunners an emphatic message surrounding the required fee.
The former Croatian international told Spanish outlet Marca : "Who wants to sign Mudryk has to pay big amount of money — otherwise our president will not sell him. Jack Grealish was sold for more than 100m and Mudryk’s level is not lower."
The idea of Arsenal paying £100million for Mudryk is seemingly out of the question, with Arteta rumoured to be strongly against going that high on a 21-year-old, regardless of the potential he is currently showing.
Mudryk is certainly a player with an incredibly high ceiling, as proven by his stellar tally of 10 goals and eight assists in 18 outings for the Ukrainian giants this term.
However, it seems as if there is confidence from the Arsenal side of the deal that Shakhtar are bluffing with the £100m asking price and would be willing to accept significantly lower, in turn raising hopes that a deal could get done, as per The Athletic.
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From the player's perspective, it would appear that Mudryk is very keen to get a move to Arsenal secured as soon as possible after he recently confessed he keeps tabs on the Gunners results during an interview with the wife of Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Speaking to Vlada Zinchenko on YouTube, Mudryk was asked which teams he thinks are playing attractive football this season, to which he replied: "Napoli, they’re playing really well at the moment with some great players, Bayern, Man City and Arsenal."
He went on to admit he watches Arteta's sid regularly, "Yeah. I check on them in 'myscore' and know when they’re playing I can check on them.
"I also watch them too. (Arsenal are) a very dynamic side, in general not just in controlling possession but also in scoring goals."
The Gunners are expected to bolster their attacking options in January in a bid to keep their early-season momentum going and in turn spark a title challenge, especially with no Gabriel Jesus for at least 3 months due to his knee surgery.
Currently sat top of the Premier League with a five-point advantage over nearest challengers Manchester City, Arsenal will be hoping Mudryk can make an instant impact and help keep the Gunners top for as long as possible.
