Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk has been heavily linked with both Arsenal and Chelsea during the first week of the January transfer window.
The talented youngster has made it no secret of his admiration for Mikel Arteta's side in the past and recent reports suggest that the Gunners have submitted a second bid for the Ukraine international after seeing their initial £55million bid turned down last week. However, the north London outfit aren't the only Premier League club keen on Mudryk.
Chelsea are also said to be keen to bring Mudryk to the English capital. A recent report from the Telegraph claimed that the 22-year-old is a target for the Blues, who also tried to hijack Arsenal's move for Gabriel Jesus over the summer - an approach that ultimately proved unsuccessful, with the Brazilian opting for the Emirates Stadium over Stamford Bridge.
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Now, Mudryk has 'liked' a post on Instagram that indicates a move away from Shakhtar is what he desires, with the post including a screenshot of a popular hashtag titled: "Free Mudryk." The player's previous social media activity also suggests that his preferred destination is north London and not west, dropping a number of hints and cryptic messages that Arsenal is the move that he wants most.
During an interview with Vlanda Sedan, the wife of Arsenal fullback Oleksandr Zinchenko, Mudryk even admitted that he would join the Gunners over reigning Champions League champions Real Madrid. Speaking on YouTube, the youngster said: "From a purely hypothetical perspective, if there was the option of being a bench player for Real Madrid or a starter for Arsenal, I’d probably choose Arsenal.
"But it’s a tough question and involves a lot of factors in my answer. I would first want to know from the head coach that even if I wasn’t a guaranteed starter, that I’d receive a chance.
"Essentially I need to hear directly from the manager what he envisages my role in his side to be."
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