Arsenal transfer news: Mykhaylo Mudryk speaks to Arteta as Gunners make second bid

Arsenal Football Club remain confident about reaching an agreement with Shakhtar Donetsk to sign Ukrainian winger Mykhaylo Mudryk in January. The speedy forward has reportedly even held talks with Mikel Arteta over his role in the team when he eventually signs for the Gunners.

The North London club is seeking attacking reinforcements going into the second-half of the Premier League campaign. Arteta is keen to bolster his frontline after losing striker Gabriel Jesus to a long-term knee injury during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Mudryk has been on Arsenal's radar since last summer, but the Gunners did not make a concrete offer to sign him at the time. The Ukraine international has been in fine form for Shakhtar this season, scoring 10 goals and assisting a further eight in 18 games in all competitions.

Arteta is keen to bring the 21-year-old winger to North London in January, and Arsenal has been in conversation with Shakhtar for a number of weeks. The Premier League leaders had their first bid of €40 million plus €25 million in add-ons dismissed, with the Ukrainian club publicly demanding close to €100 million.

Arsenal will not pay over the odds, and it is expected that privately, Shakhtar will accept a much lower fee as negotiations continue. The English top-flight club's chances of signing Mudryk have been boosted by the player making no secret of his desire to join the club in January.

Apart from constantly posting his admiration of the club and Arteta, Mudryk has accepted personal terms in order to hasten the process. According to Ukraine's Sport Analytic, the winger has also held conversations with the Gunners boss on his role in the team if an agreement can be reached.

Arsenal, on their part, are also unrelenting and have submitted a second bid in order to convince Shakhtar to part with Mudryk. According to multiple reliable sources, the north Londoners have made a second offer to Shakhtar with an improved base fee of around €55 million plus addons.

The Gunners remain confident they can make a breakthrough in negotiations, and considerably bring down the Ukrainian club's public €100 million valuation. Once terms are agreed between the clubs, the move is expected to be completed swiftly owing to Mudryk's desire to play at the Emirates Stadium.