Shakhtar Donetsk assistant sporting director Carlo Nicolini has suggested that the sale of Mykhaylo Mudryk during the January transfer window is not a foregone conclusion.
The winger has established himself as one of the highly-regarded emerging players in Europe courtesy of his performances for his club and Ukraine.
As well as earning eight caps for his country this year, the 21-year-old has starred on the domestic scene and in the Champions League with Shakhtar.
Three goals and five assists have come in six Premier Liga fixtures, while three strikes and two assists have been posted in European football's premier competition.
Even before his recent performances, Mudryk had already been attracting interest from the Premier League, most notably Arsenal who he admitted would be 'hard to turn down'.
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Meanwhile, it was claimed in September by director of football Darijo Srna that Everton had also tried and failed with an offer for the left-sided player.
In recent weeks, there has been the perception that Shakhtar may be prepared to cash in on their most prized asset for a fee in the region or marginally in excess of €40m (£34.5m).
However, Nicolini has dismissed that may be the case, stating that Shakhtar value Mudryk higher than the £85m that Manchester United paid for Antony in the summer.
Speaking to Calciomercato's TV Play, Nicolini said: "Is €40m enough to buy him? We do not speak to these figures. Not even for €50m, we don't even call the president to communicate the offer. We value Mudryk more than Antony of Manchester United, who cost €100m.
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"We are not obliged to sell, we do not want to make phenomena. We don't want to shoot figures that aren't realistic. But in this team, he is the most decisive. If you want to take on certain players who make a difference in the top clubs, you also need the right money."
When pressed to comment on specific clubs, Nicolini indicated that Manchester City had joined Arsenal in showing an interest in Mudryk.
He added: "The Italians bring low proposals, we don't even sit down to negotiate. There are many English candidates, there is the Spanish on duty, the French on duty, but now it takes the right amount to take him away. Together with [Kylian] Mbappe, [Rafael] Leao and [Carlos] Vinicius, Mudryk is the strongest player in that position.
"Oscillating between Arsenal and Manchester City? They are two teams that have taken an interest in the player. But there are also other clubs that can spend right away."
Mudryk has a contract with Shakhtar until December 2026, leaving the Ukrainian giants in a strong position to demand their asking price for the foreseeable future.
Darren Plant
