Arsenal have reportedly submitted an improved bid for Shakhtar Donetsk talent, Mykhailo Mudryk, with Chelsea also said to be interested.
The Gunners have identified the Ukrainian as one of the primary targets following his starring roles for Shakhtar in this season’s Champions League group stages.
The 21-year-old scored three goals and provided two assists in Europe, as well scoring seven in the Ukrainian Premier League which is currently on a winter break.
Arsenal have already seen an opening offer of £53.2m turned down for the creative midfielder, though according to Fabrizio Romano, they have now submitted an ‘improved’ offer.
The journalist says that the opening offer was worth £35.5m plus £17.7m in add-ons, but doesn’t specify the value of the new bid, though says it is ‘unlikely’ that Arsenal will meet Shakhtar’s asking price.
The Ukrainian club have publically said that they will use the transfers of Jack Grealish to Manchester City and Antony to Manchester United as a yardstick for their valuation, the pair having moved for £100m and £85m respectively over the last two summers.
“Arsenal may have made such an offer, but there is a negotiation,” assistant sporting director Carlo Nicolini told Calciomercato.it. “Players have been sold that clubs wanted to sell and that we believe are no stronger than Mudryk with a valuation of around €100 million, so the €60m is not enough.
“I’m not the one making the figure, I don’t have particular indications from the company, but the sporting director said that we need an important offer closer to Grealish than to Antony. If the cash figure is €40m then it’s not even being taken into consideration.”
The report says that Chelsea have also shown an interest in Mudryk, though the midfielder ‘has his heart set on the Premier League leaders’.
Arsenal are currently seven points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, while Chelsea are seven points adrift of the top four places.
