Shakhtar Donetsk goalkeeper Anatoly Trubin admits rumours linking Mykhaylo Mudryk with a move to Premier League giants Arsenal are becoming a source of humour in the Ukrainian giant’s dressing room, speaking to Football 24.
Well, at this stage, they are more than mere rumours.
Carlo Nicolini, Shakhtar’s deputy vice chairman, confirmed to Calciomercato in October that Arsenal and Manchester City are taking a keen interest in one of Europe’s most coveted forwards – one dubbed the third best left-winger on the continent behind Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr, and a potential Ballon D’Or winner.
“I like that he is focused only on himself, his and the team’s game,” Trubin explains. “Fans don’t really see that much. No one sees what he is doing away from the football field.
“All these transfer rumours affect him only in a positive way, because he enjoys what he does. And, in the team, we can tell him; ‘well, you’re already at Arsenal, let’s all go!’”
Mudryk now has five goals in his last four games, including a heat-seeking missile of a shot which whistled into Celtic’s net during last week’s Champions League clash at Parkhead. In all competitions, the jet-heeled 21-year-old has 14 goals and assists combined.
Nicolini, meanwhile, adds that Shakhtar now value Mudryk in excess of the £85 million fee Manchester United paid for fellow winger Antony over the summer.
“Is 40 million euros enough to buy him? We do not answer to these figures,” Nicolini says. “Not even for fifty. We value Mudryk more than Manchester United’s Antony, who cost 100 million euros (£85 million).”
Everton failed with a £25 million bid for Mudryk in August (Fabrizio Romano). The former Dnipro youngster will now cost around three times that fee, at least.
“I think that many young football players dream of getting to the top level. I’m no exception,” Mudryk admitted recently, before opening the door to a potential switch to North London.
“Of course, if there is an opportunity, I want (to play in) matches in the top championships. Bayern Munich are playing very powerfully and strongly. Manchester City always play great football.
“But I have great admiration for the style of Arsenal; a talented coach, young, individually strong players who play good and modern football.”
