Shakhtar Donetsk have maintained their high demands for Arsenal target Mykhaylo Mudryk because of a ‘FIFA ruling’, according to reports.
With the Gunners currently five points clear of second-placed Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta and technical director Edu are looking to bring in reinforcements in January to help them win the title.
There have been rumours they could sign a midfielder and a striker too but the main speculation has surrounded a potential deal for Mudryk.
The Ukraine international has caught the eye this season for Shakhtar in the Champions League and Premier League sides Arsenal and Chelsea are hopeful of striking a deal.
Arsenal have had two bids for the 22-year-old turned down already this winter with their last offer believed to be around £62m (€70m).
However, Shakhtar are understood to want €100m for the winger but Arsenal are not keen to pay near that figure.
And now chief football writer at the Independent Miguel Delaney claims that a ‘FIFA ruling’ during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has bumped Mudryk’s price up and could impact the possible transfer.
Delaney wrote on Twitter: “On Mudryk, one reason it has been dragging is because Shakhtar have been in little mood to budge on fee due to how much they lost in potential sales after the Fifa ruling that foreign players could leave for free with the invasion. This one of their top assets.
“Player’s choice is Arsenal, though, and he obviously wants to go as soon as possible.”
There seems to only be a small chance that Mudryk would choose Chelsea over Arsenal but former Premier League striker Stan Collymore thinks a move to Stamford Bridge would be the best option.
Collymore told Caught Offside: “I know some fans will argue that considering where both clubs are at the minute, if he were to choose the Blues over the Gunners, it’ll only be for the money.
“And that may well be true, but for me, Chelsea is still the more attractive project. If [Todd] Boehly can sell Chelsea’s future to Mudryk then that’s the more alluring option.
“If I had the choice, I’d choose Chelsea over Arsenal and that’s not me dismissing the good work Mikel Arteta and Arsenal are doing, but I just think over a three or four-year period, the Blues are the better project and the club more likely to consistently compete for silverware.
“So all that being considered, I wouldn’t be surprised if Mudryk ended up at Stamford…
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