Mykhaylo Mudryk has reportedly agreed personal terms on a proposed transfer to Arsenal as the forward edges closer to a move to Emirates Stadium.
The 21-year-old has been heavily-linked with a switch to the Gunners in the January transfer window, with Mikel Arteta keen to bolster his front line ahead of the season half of the season. Arsenal sit top of the Premier League, having dropped just five points from a possible 48, but are stretched in those attacking areas following a serious injury to Gabriel Jesus at the World Cup.
Jesus, who has been terrific for the Gunners since joining from Manchester City in the summer, is expected to miss a couple of months with a knee issue that required surgery. Arteta is set to act fast by adding to his squad, with Mudryk his priority target, and it seems as though a deal is drawing ever closer for the Shakhtar Donetsk man.
According to Sport Arena, Mudryk has agreed personal terms with the Gunners as the two clubs remain in negotiations to thrash out a deal for the highly-rated forward. Mudryk has scored 10 times and provided eight assists in 18 matches in all competitions this season, including three goals in the Champions League.
Last week, it was reported that Shakhtar had rejected the Gunners' initial £55million offer for their prized asset and it is understood the Ukrainian club are holding out for a much larger fee. Shakhtar chief executive Serhiy Palkin confirmed on Thursday that his club are in talks with the Gunners.
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Palkin said: "Talks for Mudryk are on. We receive offers but not the ones we would like to see on our table. I'll speak again to Arsenal, so yes, we are open to discussing fees and ideas. If we will agree, then let it be so. If we will not, then let it be another time. Now, literally in five minutes, I will have a new phone call conversation with Arsenal for the Mykhaylo Mudryk deal."
Arsenal have only ever paid more than £55m on signings twice, when they splashed the cash on Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe. The former scored an impeccable 92 goals in 163 matches for the Gunners across a four-year spell before he was shipped out to Barcelona back in January last year.
Meanwhile, Pepe's switch has been less than impressive, having struggled during his time at the Emirates following his £72m move from Lille. The 27-year-old is out on loan at Nice this season, having scored 27 times in 112 games for the Gunners.
