Arsenal director Edu Gaspar flew out to Warsaw on Friday in an attempt to finally secure the services of Mykhalyo Mudryk for the Premier League leaders, according to Tuttomercatoweb.
With Ukraine still under fire from Russia, Shakhtar Donetsk have spent most of the last 12 months stationed over the border in Poland. They played their home matches in the Champions League group-stages at Legia Warsaw’s Stadion Wojska Polskiego.
And, while Mudryk and the rest of the Shakhtar squad are currently training in Turkey as the Ukrainian Premier League takes a break for the winter, the club’s bosses are presumably still working out of Poland.
Because, according to Tuttomercatoweb, Edu has touched down in Warsaw for talks as he looks to tie up a deal that has been a long time in the making.
MIKEL ARTETA’S ARSENAL EDGING CLOSER TO MYKHAYLO MUDRYK
Not that he really needed to, Mudryk dropped his most blatant hint yet earlier this week, posting an image of himself in an Arsenal shirt via his official Instagram account. Much to the forward’s delight, talks between the Gunners and Shakhtar appear to have moved rather rapidly towards a positive conclusion over the past week.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal’s latest bid is a £62 million up-front fee, plus a further £20 million in bonuses. Shakhtar have reiterated on numerous occasions that the minimum they will accept is £85 million. But a total figure of £82 million – presuming those bonuses are met – should be enough to twist their arm at last.
Mudryk’s price-tag has risen dramatically over the last few months. When Brentford held talks around eight months ago, Shakhtar were reportedly holding out for around £20 million, while Everton had a £25 million offer rejected towards the end of the summer window.
Mudryk has scored 10 goals and provided eight assists in 18 Shakhtar games this season. Chelsea, meanwhile, appear to have given up on hi-jacking Arsenal’s deal with Joao Felix arriving at Stamford Bridge, even if the Portugal international will now miss the next three games following a debut red card in Thursday’s 2-1 defeat at West London neighbours Fulham.
“I am incredibly happy with Mykhaylo Mudryk’s progress,” says former Shakhtar analyst Oleg Starynskyi.
“How much he has proven himself as a team player, as a talent, and as a good person. He has great coaches who prepare him physically. And he is an incredibly hardworking person.”
