(Football news) Arsenal are closing in on Mykhaylo Mudryk after making an improved offer for  the Shakhtar Donetsk winger who is their No 1 January target. Talks are ongoing after the Ukrainian club rejected a first bid of £35.5m plus £17.7m in add-ons as Shakhtar have set their asking price at £85m but are also aware that Arsenal are unlikely to go that high. There is also interest from Chelsea but Mudryk, who will recently turn 22 on Thursday, has his heart set on joining the current Premier League leaders.

He recently posted pictures on social media that show he has been watching Arsenal’s games as he has referred to Mikel Arteta as a “top coach”. Mudryk impressed everyone in the Champions League group stage this season having scored three times already, twice against Celtic and once against Leipzig. He has seven goals in his past eight league appearances for Shakhtar, who are currently on a winter break. Arteta has urged Arsenal to make signings and as swiftly as possible. His team’s hope to win their first Premier League title since 2004  will certainly depend upon some quality signings.

Arsenal believe they are in pole position to secure a deal with the player eager to join, although Chelsea are among several other clubs to have heavily scouted Mudryk but as of Monday no other club had made a formal bid. Chelsea are also in the mix but they have shifted their attention on signing this year’s World Cup’s young player of the tournament Enzo Fernandez. The Ukrainian is Arsenal’s number 1 priority after Gabriel Jesus is reportedly out for 3 months. Mudryk is a fast pacy winger who can play anywhere in the front three and could be a valuable addition to Arteta’s team.

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