Arsenal and Newcastle attacking target Mykhaylo Mudryk believes he could end up being priced out of a move away from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2023.
The Ukrainian club have slapped a €100million (£87m) price tag on the winger after major interest emerged from the Premier League in the form of the Gunners and more latterly Newcastle.
Mudryk has scored eight goals – including three in the Champions League. He’s also provided eight assists in 16 games so far this season.
Those stats are drawing significant interest from Mikel Arteta’s men as they look to build on their incredible start.
Arsenal are currently five points clear of Manchester City at the top of the table. However, Newcastle are only two points further back and have the financial power to do some serious damage in January.
However, Mudryk fears that Shakhtar’s demands for the player could end up scuppering his dream move, having initially been valued at £52m. Indeed, in the past the 21-year-old has admitted he follows the Gunners and enjoys their style of play.
Ukraine star fears dream is fading
Speaking about his hopes of a move in 2023, he told Sport Arena: “When I found out about my price, I wasn’t just surprised. I was shocked.
“I have a long-term contract with Shakhtar [set to expire in December 2026], I give all my strength and energy so that Shakhtar achieves maximum results… but every football player has a dream to play in a top club and in a top championship – I am no exception.
“But I am 100 per cent sure that they are unlikely to buy a player from the championship of Ukraine for 100 million… I will not hide that I was very upset.
The amount of 100 million puts a barrier for my transition to the top championship, which I so dreamed of. I can’t say that my dream was killed, but wounded – that’s for sure.”
Other clubs who have shown an interest in the player include City and PSG. It’s also emerged that Brentford held talks to sign the attacker at the beginning of 2022 but nothing materialised.
Shakhtar looking to maximise Mudryk value
However, his stock has risen considerably since then, prompting Shakhtar to up their price – especially since big-spending Newcastle have joined the race.
Shakhtar’s director of football Darijo Srna and chief executive Sergei Palkin told The Atheltic recently: “If somebody wants to buy Mudryk, they must pay huge, huge, huge money.
“Otherwise the president of the club [Rinat Akhmetov] will not sell him. All the clubs must respect the President, respect Shakhtar. And in the end they must respect Mykhaylo Mudryk, who is one of the best players I saw. The price is so big.”
Shakhtar also believe the current transfer market has been inflated by Antony’s £85m move to Manchester United.
Palkin added: “Always it [interest in Mudryk] is a permanent process. Every week, some club appears and starts to feel [where we are]. They’re not coming and saying ‘OK, take 50 million and give me Mudryk’.
“They understand the story behind him and they understand that he is quite an expensive player. But they start to feel our club, what our strategy is, what we should do. In any case, the time will arrive. Definitely, it will arrive a big club and give us €100m.”
