Until he officially joins Arsenal - or another club - links to Mykhaylo Mudryk are likely to linger for a very long time.
The Gunners’ interest has been well-documented for the last six months and speculation has only intensified after reports claimed he was Mikel Arteta’s priority target for the January transfer window.
It’s believed that a new forward has been on Arsenal’s agenda since the summer following Nicolas Pepe’s loan departure to OGC Nice, but injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Reiss Nelson have now made the need for reinforcements a matter of urgency.
READ MORE: Two Mykhaylo Mudryk alternatives Arsenal can sign in January should Edu require plan B transfer
Speaking to the media following Arsenal’s win over AC Milan in the Dubai Super Cup last week, Arteta confirmed the club was actively looking to bolster the squad in what is a pivotal window for him and his side.
Arteta could reveal more about transfer ambitions when his appearance on a special Monday Night Football episode aires on Sky Sports this evening. The Spaniard met up with pundit Jamie Carragher to discuss all things Arsenal, including Gabriel Martinelli.
In a teaser clip posted on social media, Arteta is seen analysing Martinelli whilst explaining what position he is best suited to on the pitch. “To score more goals, Martinelli has to play in the last line and he needs to play wide because this is his quality,” claimed the Spaniard.
This could hint that Mudryk will initially take up a rotational role should he join next month, with the Ukrainian international occupying the same position as Martinelli on the left wing. Based on current club form, Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are undroppable for Arteta, while Eddie Nketiah is also likely to start in Jesus’ absence through injury.
Another route Arteta can take is to hand Martinelli a more central role and bench Nketiah in order to free up space for Mudryk in the starting XI.
Arteta touched on this when recently speaking to Arsenal.com, saying: “I think (Jesus) is a unique player but Eddie (Nketiah) has incredible qualities as well for the way we want to play. We have other alternatives in that we can play Martinelli up front as well.”
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