Journalist shares ‘what people don’t realise’ about Arsenal’s first bid for Mykhailo Mudryk

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Journalist Ben Jacobs says that Arsenal expected their first bid for Shakhtar Donestk winger Mykhailo Mudryk to be rejected.

He told Football Transfers that that first offer was just a marker, and that there is still a number higher than what they have offered that they would be comfortable going to.

The Gunners have made two bids for the Ukraine international and now Chelsea are sniffing around but Jacobs said there is no need for their fans to panic.

Jacobs comments on first bid for Mudryk by Arsenal

He said: “But I think what people don’t realise with the Mudryk deal is that Arsenal’s opening bid was a marker. Which means they expected to have a rejection, but it was an extremely competitive number and then the second offer has been improved with slightly more upfront. It’s still under €70m (£61.8 million).

“When you consider that Mudryk got an offer from Everton for €30m (£26.5 million) over the summer, and now Arsenal’s bid is double that, in the space of five months, the actual physical offers that have been placed, between Arsenal’s current bid and Everton over the summer there is around €35m (£30.9 million) difference.

“Privately Shakhtar are still pushing for €80-85m (£70.7-£75m). Arsenal would prefer to be around €70-75m (£61.8-£66.2 million). That’s where they’re comfortable. That’s what they think is market value, pushing a top end, and they still haven’t quite gone that high.

“I would still be very, very surprised if Chelsea – regardless of what Shakhtar may intimate or brief to Arsenal – bid anything significantly above what Arsenal are prepared to go to.”

The longer the situation rumbles on, the more nervous those watching from the outside in will get but Arsenal feel they have it under control.

As Jacobs says, Arsenal have a number in mind that they will not go above and that will not change based on what Chelsea or any other club do.

This one does look slightly different to some of the deals they have done under Mikel Arteta, because we are starting to talk about really big numbers again.

That makes it more of a gamble, while the memory of record signing Nicolas Pepe remains fresh, but Arteta and co have earned the trust of the fans with their transfer strategy in recent windows.