Arsenal transfer deal shot down as Mykhalyo Mudryk told to join Chelsea for three reasons | Football | Sport
Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk has been given three reasons why he should snub a move to Arsenal and instead sign for Chelsea, with both clubs battling for his signature this month. The Gunners had thought to have been frontrunners to sign the 22-year-old but Graham Potter’s outfit are attempting to gazump Mikel Arteta and co to a potential £100million deal.
The Ukrainian club have reportedly rejected two bids from Arsenal of around £53m and £63m, while publicly stating that they have benchmarked the fees taking Jack Grealish to Manchester City and Antony to Manchester United respectively for Mudryk.
Shakhtar chief Darijo Srna was at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Premier League, and ex-Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has tipped Mudryk to turn down Arsenal interest as he would receive a higher wage at Chelsea, who have a more attractive long-term project and a greater chance of winning silverware.
“If you believe all the reports surrounding Shakhtar Donetsk’s Mykhailo Mudryk, he has a choice between moving to Arsenal and Chelsea,” Collymore wrote in CaughtOffside. “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.
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“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 Bridge.”
Chelsea have yet to lodge a formal offer to Shakhtar, who will be hoping a bidding war commences between the two London clubs but co-owner Boehly has not been afraid to splash the cash since arriving at Stamford Bridge and may be willing to outbid Arsenal to sign Mudryk.
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Boehly, who on Monday stepped down from his interim position as sporting director, may wish to blow Arsenal’s last offer out of the water and match Shakhtar’s asking price amid an injury crisis at Chelsea.
Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic were both forced off the pitch on Thursday in defeat to Manchester City, but they have already spent big this window.
Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana and Andrey Santos have joined the club, while they have also agreed a deal for Christopher Nkunku to join in the summer and on Monday reportedly agreed a season-long loan to bolster Potter’s attacking options with Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix.
