Star says ‘I hope’ Arsenal sign his £35m and £25m international team-mates

Follow us on Google Discover

Arsenal ace Oleksandr Zinchenko admits he would love to see Ukraine team-mates Georgiy Sudakov and Mykola Matviyenko join him at the Premier League giants. 

The former Manchester City defender could get his wish too. At least, with the talented, much-coveted Georgiy Sudakov. 

According to TEAMtalk, there is interest in the Shakhtar Donetsk playmaker from an Arsenal side who paid £35 million for Oleksandr Zinchenko in 2022 and tried to sign Mykhaylo Mudryk too. 

The stylish Sudakov, who likens his game to that of Phil Foden and James Maddison, is expected to be on the move in the New Year, and Zinchenko would welcome his compatriot to the Emirates with open arms (The Telegraph). 

Zinchenko wants two Ukraine stars at Arsenal

“I hope (Sudakov joins) Arsenal,” Zinchenko tells UA Tribuna. 

The 21-year-old attacking midfielder is valued at around £35 million (Corriere dello Sport). Sudakov confirmed last week that Juventus have shown an interest in bringing him to Italy, with Zinchenko’s former employers Manchester City another club reportedly in pursuit (Gazzetta). 

Zinchenko, meanwhile, opened up on his desire to see Arsenal bring in another of his international team-mates, and a man who shares a dressing room with Sudakov at Shakhtar Donetsk.

When asked ‘which Ukrainian national team player would you take to Arsenal’, Zinchenko responded by naming Mykola Matviyenko. A 27-year-old, left-sided centre-half who can also play at left-back, a deal for the £25 million-rated Matviyenko seems rather more unlikely, however. Unless Jakub Kiwior leaves The Gunners during the January transfer window amid reported interest from the likes of AC Milan. 

Shakhtar Donestk pair hailed by Gunners ace

Shakhtar’s hard-nosed director Darijo Srna – a man Arsenal fans will remember vividly following that lengthy Mudryk saga – insisted earlier the year that Matviyenko would not be leaving on the cheap amid interest from West Ham and Brighton. 

“Matviyenko is a very important footballer for Shakhtar and the Ukrainian national team. A very experienced player. There are few such footballers in Europe,” Srna says of the versatile defender, capped over 50 times by his country.

“Therefore, if any club wants to sign Matviyenko, it will be the same story as with Mykhailo Mudryk. I estimate him at 30 million (euros). This is my personal opinion.”