Arsenal have been boosted in their pursuit of Mykhaylo Mudryk as the Shakhtar Donetsk star's 'number one choice' is to complete a January move to the Emirates Stadium, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs has told GiveMeSport.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta will be handed the opportunity to bolster his table-topping squad when the transfer window reopens next month.
GiveMeSport Transfer Update
Arsenal transfer news - Mykhaylo Mudryk
According to The Athletic, Arsenal have made Mudryk their priority target and there is optimism that they will negotiate a move during the early stages of 2023.
The report suggests the Gunners, along with the 21-year-old's other admirers, feel they will succeed in getting their man by offering less than Shakhtar's £88million valuation, while Jacobs recently told GiveMeSport that £53million could be enough to strike a deal.
Carlo Nicolini, the Ukrainian giants' deputy sporting director, has confirmed that Arsenal are interested in Mudryk ahead of the transfer window opening for business in a matter of days.
Manchester City, Newcastle United, Paris Saint-Germain, Brentford, Everton and Bayer Leverkusen are also known to be admirers of the winger, but the Gunners appear to be in pole position.
That is because Mudryk has previously admitted that he ‘couldn’t say no’ if a winter switch to north London was on the cards, while transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has told GiveMeSport that the sought-after star has given Arsenal the 'green light' to up the ante in their pursuit.
Read more: January Transfer Window 2023: When Does It Begin, Rumours and Everything You Need To Know
What has Ben Jacobs said about Mudryk?
Jacobs believes Shakhtar will attempt to use the fact that numerous clubs want Mudryk to their advantage by instigating a bidding war.
However, the journalist feels Arsenal are at the front of the queue for the Ukraine international's signature as his preference is to link-up with Arteta's side.
Jacobs told GiveMeSport: "Mudryk has said we'll see what happens in the winter, so this isn't a complicated transfer in the sense of moving parts or rival suitors.
"There are naturally lots of other clubs interested and Shakhtar will use that to try and get the highest possible price.
"But, in essence, Mudryk's number one choice is Arsenal and they are now seriously invested in bringing him to the football club in the January transfer window."
Would Mudryk be a good signing for Arsenal?
Mudryk has shown that he is a major threat in the final third of the pitch by chalking up 18 goal contributions in as many Shakhtar appearances this season, according to Transfermarkt.
Those exciting figures mean he has found the back of the net more often and averaged a greater number of assists per 90 minutes than current Arsenal duo Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.
The Gunners are five points clear at the top of the Premier League and identifying a replacement for Gabriel Jesus, who was forced to undergo surgery after sustaining a knee injury during the World Cup, is key in their push for the title.
Although Mudryk is not a striker, he has already demonstrated that he is capable of delivering the goods and also got his name on the scoresheet every 173 minutes during the Champions League group stage.
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has described the wide-man as 'impressive' and it is clear that he would be an eye-catching addition at the Emirates Stadium.
You can find all of the latest football news and rumours right here