Alan Smith has said ‘fair play’ to Stan Kroenke for backing Mikel Arteta in the transfer market, as Arsenal try to edge closer to signing Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk during the January transfer window.
The Arsenal legend added that Mudryk is a ‘quick’ player and he is someone who ‘fits the profile’ of what Mikel Arteta is building with the current Premier League leaders, as he told Sky Sports News (12/01/23).
Mudryk has posted images on social media of him watching Arsenal games, praising Arteta on the touchline and now an image of him watching a video where he is in an Arsenal shirt.
Anything Mudryk related is getting swallowed up by the Arsenal faithful, including the player in training for Shakthar on Wednesday and what fans spotted.
If the Ukraine international does secure a move to the Emirates, then it has been suggested that he will earn £127k-a-week at the club.
Until then, it’s a waiting game as fans are eager for some sort of an announcement to be made, with former striker Alan Smith sharing his thoughts on the player.
“Mudryk would have been on their radar for quite some time,” said Smith. “This isn’t a knee-jerk reaction. One or two other clubs sometimes try to stir the pot and get involved and make it harder to capture the signing.
“But the bits I have seen of him. He fits the profile. He is 21. Quick. He has a lot of developing and improving to do.
“Mikel Arteta said something the other day, he said ‘our squad isn’t good enough that we can ignore one single transfer window’.
“Fair (play) to Stanley Kroenke, he has backed the manager over previous transfer windows.”
KROENKE’S BACKING IN RECENT YEARS
It wasn’t so long ago that Arsenal fans were protesting outside of the Emirates Stadium calling for Kroenke to sell up.
Well, fast forward to the present and the mood around the place is a lot different now.
Kroenke has backed Arteta in several transfer windows from bringing in then-questionable signings Aaron Ramsdale and Ben White.
To the captures of the proven and Premier League title-winning stars, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko.
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