Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has been told by Shakhtar Donetsk talent Mykhaylo Mudryk what he must do to sign the highly-rated winger.
The Gunners have been linked with a move for Mudryk over the past few months and are thought to be keen on adding a new forward to Arteta's squad. Arsenal look set to sign reinforcements in the January transfer window after missing out on securing late deals on Deadline Day in the summer.
As the Gunners head into the World Cup break top of the tree at Christmas, Arteta will hope new signings can help his team fight for the Premier League title and Europa League in a crucial second half of the season. Mudryk has impressed for Shakhtar this season, registering 16 goal contributions in 16 appearances, having been compared to the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in the past.
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Mudryk has now admitted that the level of interaction shown by Arsenal fans on social media has surprised him, as reports linking him with a move to north London continue to circulate. Speaking in an interview with Vlada Sedan, Oleksandr Zinchenko’s wife, the 21-year-old suggested the amount of interest from Arsenal supporters was not something he expected.
"One surprise for me was how many Arsenal fans followed me," Mudryk told Sedan. "No other club’s fans have interacted as much as them.
"Telling me that they are waiting for me, saying 'come to us'. One of my recent posts has over 500 comments saying that."
Mudryk has previously admitted that if Arsenal came in with a formal offer for him, he would find it hard to say no to the Gunners as interest continues to grow in the talented winger. The Ukraine international has now set out the key factors that would influence his decision making when it comes to deciding his future.
Mudryk added: "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 to be in his side."
Arteta has shown in the past he is able to convince players to join his project and he may need to do the same with Mudryk if Arsenal look to complete a deal for the Ukrainian winger.
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