Arsenal head into the January transfer window as genuine title contenders, but if they are to pip Manchester City to the post this season, the Gunners will need reinforcements in the winter window.
Arsenal have been after a new winger for quite some time, and, at the moment, all signs point towards Mykhaylo Mudryk being the north London club’s top target heading into January.
There is a growing feeling that Mudryk will be joining Arsenal, but, in our view, this isn’t the type of player the Gunners need right now.
For a start, Mudryk would be expensive. Darijo Srna is asking for a fee similar to the one fetched by Antony in the summer – £85m, and while it is expected that a deal can be done for cheaper, it will still be a bank-buster.
Secondly, as talented as Mudryk looks, this is a player that is still massively unproven.
He’s never played more than 13 league games in a single season, and before this breakout campaign, his best goal tally for a season was just two.
Factor in that, with all due respect, the Ukrainian League isn’t exactly the best league in the world, and you have a player who has so much to prove.
He’s not done it on the international stage – failing to score in any of his eight Ukraine appearances so far.
Simply put, this would be a risky move a la the Gunners’ swoop for Nicolas Pepe in 2019.
Cast your mind back to Pepe’s arrival and you’ll remember that he arrived as one of the most highly-rated attackers in Europe. He’d just scored 22 goals in France – a better league than the Ukrainian League, but he still, somehow, managed to flop in England.
Mudryk could be on the same path, yes, he’s performing well in Ukraine, but players from these obscure leagues often flatter to deceive, and the fact that he’s only had around six months of good form should set further alarm bells ringing.
If Arsenal aren’t careful, Mudryk could end up being Nicolas Pepe 2.0.
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