Arsenal had a strong start to the summer transfer window addressing both the forward and defensive positions, which clearly needed strengthening towards the back of last season. Despite a good start to the window, more acquisitions were still required towards the end of the market, which will now have Edu occupied in the winter window in January.
Two positions seem to be the main targets for the Gunners, as Edu had reportedly been chasing players in the midfield and wing areas. It looks as though the Brazilian is prioritising the wide areas as Arsenal have been hot on the tail for Ukrainian winger Mykhaylo Mudryk since the end of the summer window.
However, the Ukrainian’s successful exploits in the Champions League mean Arsenal must prepare to do battle with other top clubs to secure his signature. Rival Premier League clubs are beginning to register interest which means that Arsenal may have missed their chance.
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According to Italian news outlet Calciomercato, Liverpool are interested in signing Mudryk from Shakhtar Donestk. This is a deal that makes sense as Jurgen Klopp’s attacking trio have looked stale since the departure of Mane in the summer, with £85m signing Darwin Nunez struggling to make an impact in the early weeks of the season.
This news comes after Ukrainian news outlet football24tv reported that Arsenal held talks with Mudryk’s agents and were interested in signing the player in the summer. The report went on to say that Shakhtar Donetsk are asking for €35million (£30million), but a deal never managed to materialise.
Arsenal’s summer transfer window of incomings slowed down after losing out on Raphinha to Barcelona. The Gunners seemed to have the edge on signing the Brazilian until Chelsea attempted to hijack a potential deal, but the winger ultimately decided to join Barcelona. If the Gunners had Champions League football to offer, then they would have had an extra advantage in the negotiation process.
The same situation must not be repeated with Mudryk from Shakhtar Donestk. The winger has had a phenomenal start to the season by scoring two goals and also assisting on one occasion in the opening two matches of the Champions League group stage.
Amid such interest in Mudryk, it appears as though the youngster is very open to a move to Arsenal, who seemingly need more depth in their wide areas. Speaking to CBS Sports, he said: "I think every guy dreams about the Premier League. It's hard to say [who his preferred move is] but Arsenal is a very good team, very good coach, I like the way they play."
When asked if he would make a move to the Emirates Stadium he said: "From my side, I can't say no [to Arsenal]. But the transfer is not only my decision."
However, the winger's intentions could change with Liverpool registering interest ahead of the January transfer window, as they are already playing in the Champions League season. The reality of this happening for Arsenal will be ahead of the next season.
Arteta has had problems with the wide areas this season due to the lack of quality in squad depth, and that could potentially hinder the club’s progress when the fixture schedule becomes congested. A new signing in this position needs to be addressed in the upcoming transfer windows, and Edu must be wary of Liverpool stealing the ideal target.
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