Shakhtar Donetsk deputy sporting director Carlo Nicolini has described Mykhaylo Mudryk as a 'phenomenon' amid what seems a cryptic invitation for interested parties to 'start a negotiation'.
Murdyk has attracted interest from Europe's top clubs since the summer thanks to a string of outstanding performances both at home in Ukraine and on the continent. The 21-year-old has eight goals and eight assists in 16 appearances across all competitions, including a brilliant opening Champions league game against RB Leipzig in which he scored and added two assists in a 4-1 win.
Everton saw a late €30million bid rejected in the summer as Frank Lampard looked to add attacking quality to his side, but the Toffees have since been pushed back in the pecking order as Europe's elite come calling. Liverpool are one of several outfits tentatively linked with the winger dubbed the 'Ukrainian Neymar' alongside Arsenal, and recent comments from Nicolini suggest that Shakhtar are expecting an approach come January.
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"Mudryk is a phenomenon, a great prospect for the future, and huge clubs such as Juventus have taken an interest in him," Nicolini told TuttoJuve. "There has never been direct contact or negotiation with the Bianconeri.
"The insiders of the top clubs are following him, the Champions League League was an even more important showcase to show his value. Now it will be time to get back in contact with the club, the agent and the boy himself to see if someone will start a negotiation, for the moment Mudryk is focused exclusively on the last two days of the championship.
"He's a great professional, he'll leave these rumours to those responsible. Then with the break, we'll see if anything happens or not."
Speaking to the Athletic earlier this week, Shakhtar chief executive Sergei Palkin warned any potential suitors that his side value their talisman around €100million, adding: “Mudryk is a talent in a process. What he is showing today, it’s just 60 per cent of what he can do in the future. And when you multiply this, you realise that he costs much, much more. Therefore, I we believe that in the future he can cost definitely around €100 million.”
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