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Report: Arsenal agree a deal with Shakhtar for Mykola Matviyenko

A dejected Mikel Arteta the manager (James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images)
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Could the Gunners finally land a defender this month?

Mykola Matviyenko of Shakhtar Donetsk during the UEFA Champions League group C match between Manchester City and Shakhtar Donetsk at Etihad Stadium on November 26, 2019 in Manchester,...

According to a report from Komanda1, Arsenal have agreed a deal with Shakhtar Donetsk for the transfer of their Ukrainian defender Mykola Matviyenko.

Mikel Arteta’s side are in desperate need for reinforcements in central defence. Calum Chambers’ injury last month created a hole in the heart of their defence while Shkodran Mustafi leaving the pitch on a stretcher last night has only made things worse.

Matviyenko, highly rated back in Ukraine, has played 21 times for Shakhtar in all competitions this season. His performances in Europe have caught the eye of many and Arteta seems to be the latest one on his long list of admirers.

The report claims that a deal between Arsenal and Shakhtar is all but finalized and the Gunners just need to give the final go-ahead for the deal to be completed.

However, Arsenal are still undecided if they want to complete the deal this window. The Gunners have also agreed a deal with Flamengo’s Pablo Mari according to the report and Arteta now has to decide which defender he would like to bring to the Emirates by the end of this week.

Pablo Mari of Flamengo in action during the FIFA Club World Cup Final between Liverpool and Flamengo at Khalifa International Stadium on December 21, 2019 in Doha, Qatar.

Matviyenko, based on recent performances, looks a very exciting player. The 23-year-old has a higher ceiling than Mari and has the experience of playing in the Champions League, something that the Flamengo man hasn’t done in his career.

However, Mari would be a lot less expensive than Matviyenko and Arsenal, after committing over £100 million in the summer, might just opt for the cheaper option in this window.

Mikel Arteta of Arsenal gestures during the FA Cup Fourth Round match between Bournemouth and Arsenal at Vitality Stadium on January 27, 2020 in Bournemouth, England.