Mikel Arteta reacts to Mykhaylo Mudryk watching Arsenal's victory over West Ham
By Tom Gott
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hopes the Gunners gave transfer target Mykhaylo Mudryk a good performance as they ran out 3-1 winners over West Ham on Monday.
Mudryk posted on social media to show that he was watching the game on the day that news of a £55m bid from Arsenal emerged online.
90min understands that Mudryk, who has confessed he 'cannot say no' to joining Arsenal, is valued at closer to £80m by Shakhtar, who wasted little time in rejecting Arsenal's opening offer and have publicly threatened to hold out for over £100m.
Mudryk has not shied away from flirting with Arsenal, with this post the latest in a long line of teasers, and Arteta has now responded.
“The good thing with England is that you don’t have many other matches in other countries at Christmas so hopefully a lot of people watched our game and we gave them a good show," the Arsenal boss said after being quizzed on Mudryk's attendance.
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Arteta had been asked about Arsenal's bid for Mudryk earlier in the interview but, unsurprisingly, refused to be drawn on the issue.
“You know that I never speak about players who are not with us, but I understand that you have to ask me the question," he said. "We said that we will try and find ways to strengthen the team [if] we find the right players and that’s what I can say.”
Mudryk has openly admitted that he wants Shakhtar to consider offers for him in the winter window and has previously expressed his frustration towards his public price tag of £100m, which 90min understands is higher than his actual value to Shakhtar.
Indeed, the Ukrainian side are believed to be holding out for £80m, which would still be a new club record fee for Arsenal, and it is now up to the Gunners to respond with an increased offer.