Arsenal have missed out on Mykhaylo Mudryk with the Ukrainian opting for a move to Chelsea.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk star, who had enjoyed a rapid rise, saw a huge price tag slapped on him - one that only the Blues were prepared to pay. The Gunners opted to walk away from a deal that will cost the west Londoners £87million, with the player penning an eight-and-a-half-year deal after agreeing a contract at Stamford Bridge worth DOUBLE what was on offer at the Emirates.
Arsenal remain in the market for new forward options. Mikel Arteta has worked with a very select squad and opted to pick a starting XI throughout the season that has rarely changed. An injury to Gabriel Jesus, that will sideline him for months, has seen Eddie Nketiah come into the fold.
Beyond that though there are few options, underlining their need to recruit. However, Arsenal are determined to stick to their guns financially, setting their own price tag for players rather than being held to ransom by sellers - something which has not always been the case in the past.
Club chief Edu has led a new ethos when it comes to recruitment and player retention. Their decision not to pursue Mudryk highlights a change in approach - one that was not employed with club-record signings and top earners previously.
Back in 2019 Arsenal won the race for Nicolas Pepe, but the move has been anything but a success. The Gunners paid £72m to sign the Ivorian from Lille with the likes of Liverpool also keen. Pepe did manage to score 27 times in three seasons in north London but has since been sent back to France on loan.
In terms of wages, Arsenal have also been burnt. They opted to give Mesut Ozil a big contract during Arsene Wenger's tenure, which would come back to haunt them as, first Unai Emery, and then Arteta, opted not to use the German, who eventually saw his contract axed.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang also saw his form nosedive after penning a lucrative new deal, which would eventually end with the forward being sanctioned for a disciplinary issue, frozen out and then ushered out the exit door.
Paul Merson has backed Arsenal's decision to walk away from the deal, which could've upset the dynamics internally. He said on Sky Sports : "He’s probably getting more money at Chelsea, getting bigger wages. If Arsenal then go right wait a minute, we’ll give you them wages how do you think all them players are going to react?
"It’s a happy dressing room at the moment. You start bringing in players and start giving them two or three hundred grand and it starts getting around the dressing room, they start getting unsettled - you’re better off not rocking the boat."
