Arsenal FC are off until the Boxing Day clash against West Ham United. However, they do have two club friendlies – Lyon on December 8 and AC Milan on December 13- prior to that match. With all that extended time off, it’s time to talk transfer rumors. And Arsenal are in the running for the next hot prospect who could break into the transfer fee century club.
By that we mean a footballer who can command a club to pay 100 million, in a major world currency, for his signature.
That is what Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk want for the sale of Mykhailo Mudryk, as they are said to be demanding €100 million for the winger, reports The Athletic.
The 21-year-old Ukrainian international has no shortage of potential suitors either, and they go well beyond Arsenal.
The three ultra-wealthy petrol state clubs: Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United, are all in on him.
That seems to the level he’s at right now as some smaller clubs, Everton, Brentford and Bayer Leverkusen, all made approaches, but were spurned. Arsenal will likely get back into the Champions League next season, and when they do, it will serve as a good recruiting tool.
Elsewhere, Arsenal, along with their North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, and their London rivals Chelsea, are keen on Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita.
The Guinean national team captain has been an injury-riddled disappointment at Anfield, for the most part, but that hasn’t cooled interest in him. His Liverpool contract is expiring, and it’s safe to say that they’re ready to move on from him. 90Min claim that Chelsea are interested in a potential swap deal, which could see Mason Mount going the other way.
Sounds a bit lop-sided (and far-fetched, really) doesn’t it? The Merseyside club will probably need to send some cash the other way, as part of the deal.
Besides, Mount has other suitors, including Juventus so there’s competition. (Read more about that, from the Chelsea side, at this link). Also, Liverpool might be letting Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain go, at the same time as Keita (Read more about this, from the Reds perspective, at this link).
Stay tuned and watch this space.
Paul M. Banks is the Owner/Manager of The Sports Bank and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly contributed to WGN News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.