Christmas Gift?
The smell of turkey in the oven, presents are being unwrapped and festive movies are being chosen, Arteta and Edu focus on the two games before New Years Day: a Boxing Day battle at the Emirates against the Hammers before traveling to the Amex a showdown with Brighton . Excitingly, with New Years Day comes the January transfer window, and what better way to treat Arsenal fans to a late Christmas present than the backing of the Kroenkes?
It has been widely reported that Stan & Co. are keen to back Arteta and Edu this winter in the pursuit of the Premier League title as Arsenal sit 5 points above reigning champions, Manchester City. To utilise this resource in the best way, it is crucial that Arteta and Edu find the best profiles to bring to the Emirates… and they may have just found it.
Arteta and Edu have been looking into the possibility of a move for Ukrainian international, Mykhailo Mudryk. He is a skilful, pacy and exciting winger to watch, often looking to take on opposing fullbacks and loves to please the fans. Predominantly found as a left-winger, he is right footed which allows him to take up inside positions like Saka but also likes to hold his width so he can isolate a fullback and try and beat them in a 1v1. He often stays on the last man, ready to be fed through, Odegaard, Xhaka and Partey are all capable of providing this service for him.
In the Ukrainian league this year he is 1st for Goals/Assists and – for those who have doubts over the standard of that league – he definitely hasn’t been quiet in the Champions League. He got 3 goals and 2 assists in the group stage, having a game to remember in a 4-1 thrashing of RB Leipzig where he scored 1 and assisted 2. This season, only Sane has more goal-ending carries in the CL than Mudryk, averaging 5.7 dribbles per 90. The 21 year-old is comfortable with both feet, having 9 shots in the Champions League group stage, 4 with his left foot and 5 with his right foot which resulted in 2 goals with his left and 1 goal with his right.
A Perfect Fit
Looking at this, it seems MM is good enough to challenge Martinelli, but where does he fit tactically? The Ukrainian would be a great addition to Arteta’s side. Similar to Martinelli, Mudryk often hugs the touchline and looks to drive at the opposition before cutting in or finding a midfielder or overlapping the fullback to release the ball. Tierney especially will work well with Mudryk as he bombs down the channel looking for a pass behind the defence, whereas Zincehnko will be an extra midfield option for a Ukrainian linkup. Much like Saka, he would push forward when Jesus drops deep and is quick enough to exploit a high line in behind. It is also worth noting that Arteta has been able to train wingers extremely well, Saka, Smith-Rowe and Martinelli have all benefited from Arteta’s coaching at Arsenal, but over in Manchester, Raheem Sterling also flourished under Mikel’s watchful eye, scoring 18 goals and assisting 11 over the course of Man City’s Centurion season.
Despite all these positives, Mudryk is still raw which is expected of a player as young as he is, and he has a few recurring challenges he is yet to conquer. With his back to goal, Mudryk often struggles with finding a passing outlet or a way out and often gets dispossessed as he panics, this is something that can easily be fixed though. He sometimes struggles physically and strong fullbacks can dominate him, making him a frustrating player to watch. With Premier League-standard facilities, he will most likely get stronger and encounter this problem less – but in the meantime, Mudryk has found a way to reduce the chances of being caught in a physical battle. He keeps his distance from a strong fullback, meaning he can use his pace instead of strength to get past him and it works effectively and he often zooms away, leading an attack.
Mudryk says it’s pleasant to receive such comments & DMs from Arsenal fans & that it motivates him as a footballer
Vlada: ‘Does the prospect of playing on the same wing with Zina, playing with another Ukrainian, encourage you too?’
Mudryk: ‘Yeah, it does’
(Source: Vlada Sedan) pic.twitter.com/t2HNHQpZrq
— Zorya Londonsk (@ZoryaLondonsk) November 14, 2022
It is clear that Mudryk is keen on a move to Arsenal and a linkup with fellow Ukrainian international Zinchenko, he has publicly stated his love for Arsenal numerous times, saying this in an interview, “Arsenal is a very good team. From my side I can’t say no.” However, the Shaktar Donetsk president has said that €100M is needed to get the deal over the line as that is the same price Grealish was bought to Man City for. However, it has been believed that this was just a publicity stunt and €50-€60M would be accepted by Shaktar, allowing Mudryk to come to North London. Arsenal currently have no competition for his signature at the moment but the longer the Gunners leave it, the more big European clubs will come in and try to enrol him on the squad list.
Trust The Process
I believe Mudryk has a great ability that will only be strengthened under Arteta. With Arteta and Edu’s great recruitment in recent windows, I trust them to make the right decision on Mudryk’s future but I believe he would be a great addition at the Emirates.
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Very informative
Thank you!