Shakhtar Donetsk chief confirms Arsenal interest in Mykhaylo Mudryk

Shakhtar Donetsk deputy sporting director Carlo Nicolini has confirmed that Arsenal are interested in signing Mykhaylo Mudryk.

The 21-year-old has been in strong form for his Ukrainian club during the 2022-23 campaign, scoring 10 goals and registering eight assists in 18 appearances in all competitions.

Mudryk has seven goals and six assists in 12 league outings, while he starred in the group stage of the Champions League, scoring three goals and providing two assists in six appearances.

There has been a host of speculation surrounding the Ukraine international's future over the last few months, with a number of major European teams said to be keen on his signature.

Nicolini has said that "many clubs" want Mudryk, including Premier League leaders Arsenal.

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"Many clubs are interested in Mudryk, but there weren't official offers," Nicolini told Calciomercato. "In my opinion, Italian teams have not enough economic strength for a player like this.

"Today, Mudryk has been told, like all other players, to present himself for the training in Antalya on the 9th of January. There is interest from Arsenal, I cannot deny it."

Shakhtar have Mudryk on a contract until December 2026, placing them in a strong position when it comes to any potential transfer talks.

The Ukrainian club's CEO Sergei Palkin recently admitted that he 'did not know' whether the attacker would leave the club during the January transfer window.

"To be honest, I do not know," he told The Athletic when asked about a possible exit next month.

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"At the moment, we are quite far from what we want and what clubs propose. It's not so far but it is not what we need.

"We have discussions. One club, another club, they negotiate. We are in the process. Will it close this month? I don't know.

"It is maybe 50-50 with regards to the winter transfer window. I don't want to talk about figures now. We are in discussions. We have interest from some English clubs and we are in the process.

"Every day, I read about another English club. If you believe the newspapers, it is all of (the English clubs). But to be honest, it is true as I have had contact from many clubs. A lot of them are involved in this process."

Manchester United, Manchester City and Newcastle United are also believed to be keeping a close eye on the developments surrounding the versatile forward.