Mikel Arteta hopes Mykhaylo Mudryk has seen the potential for him to thrive at Arsenal after the Gunners launched a bid of around £55million for the Shakhtar Donetsk winger.
Arsenal have made an opening offer for Mudryk of £35m plus £20m in add-ons after making the 21-year-old their top transfer target in January.
Shakhtar have yet to respond to the bid but have stated publicly they want closer to £85m and the offer is likely to be rejected.
But Mudryk is keen on a move to Emirates Stadium and Arsenal hope Shakhtar will soften their stance.
Mudryk posted on Instagram showing himself watching Arsenal beat West Ham 3-1 to move seven points clear at the top of the Premier League on Boxing Day.
Arteta refused to be drawn on Arsenal’s offer for Mudryk after that game but hopes Mudryk saw against West Ham how Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are flourishing.
Asked about the bid for Mudryk, Arteta said: “You know I never speak about players who are not with us. We said that we will try and find ways to strengthen the team if we find the right players and that is what I can say.”
On Mudryk watching the West Ham game, Arteta said: “The good thing in England is that you don’t have many other matches in other countries, we are the only ones playing through Christmas! So hopefully a lot of people watched our game and we gave them a good show.”
Saka, Martinelli and Eddie Nketiah all scored against West Ham and Arteta was asked if seeing their development under him would attract young players to Emirates Stadium.
Arteta said: “Hopefully yes. But they have earned the right. It is not something that we have given them, they have earned the right to be part of us and be really, really important in the team and in the squad. Hopefully we will have more.”
