Shakhtar Donetsk director Darijo Srna has coffee with former Arsenal striker Eduardo and ex-Chelsea winger Willian in London as he arrives for talks over Mykhailo Mudryk… so, where will the £85m-rated winger end up?
The pursuit of Mykhailo Mudryk is hotting up as Shakhtar Donetsk director Darijo Srna was pictured getting coffee with Eduardo and Willian in London.
Ukrainian side Shakhtar are expected to reject Arsenal’s improved bid for star winger Mudryk as they look to utilise Chelsea’s interest to their advantage.
Talks are taking place with Chelsea over the next 24 hours with Shakhtar chief executive Sergei Palkin and Srna both in London – and Srna set tongues wagging as he grabbed coffee with former Arsenal striker Eduardo and ex-Chelsea winger Willian – as fans wonder whether the meeting will affect where the wonderkid will end up.
There are more questions over Mykhailo Mudryk’s future after Shakhtar Donetsk chief Darijo Srna (C) met former Arsenal forward Eduardo (L) and ex-Chelsea winger Willian (R) in London
Ukrainian side Shakhtar are expected to reject Arsenal’s second, improved offer of £62million for Mudryk and use Chelsea’s interest to their advantage as they look to create a bidding war
Srna, a club stalwart, however has family in London and Brazilian-born pair Eduardo and Willian are both former team-mates of his at the Ukrainian giants, which could explain their meeting. He is set to be at Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea face Manchester City in west London on Thursday evening.
Arsenal made an improved offer of £45million rising to £62m for Mudryk, who has maintained he wishes to join Arsenal – but Shakhtar have said they want closer to, if not more than, £85m and Chelsea’s presence in talks could push offers closer to that figure.
Mudryk is Gunners boss Mikel Arteta‘s main target this month and Arsenal have made two bids for the Ukraine winger, 22. The first, believed to be worth around £52m, was turned down by Shakhtar, who publicly value Mudryk at around £88m.
The Ukrainian forward is Mikel Arteta’s primary transfer target in the January transfer window
Arsenal returned with an improved offer, understood to be worth up to £62m, and there was optimism that a deal would be agreed…