Arsenal should look to sign Brighton & Hove Albion and Japan winger Kaoru Mitoma if they are unable to secure the signature of Shakhtar Donetsk and Ukraine international Mykhaylo Mudryk for Mikel Arteta’s side at the Emirates Stadium, Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor has suggested to GiveMeSport.

The Gunners have been linked with a move for the latter since the summer transfer window.

Arsenal transfer news – Kaoru Mitoma

Former Arsenal man Paul Merson has told the Daily Express that he isn’t sure if Mitoma would be the ideal alternative to Mudryk, should the Gunners be unable to get a deal for the Ukrainian wide man over the line this month.

The Sky Sports pundit said: "I'm not sure about Mitoma. You're playing for Brighton at the moment, it's nice. They were beaten 4-2 at home to Arsenal and nobody said a word. It's a different game altogether. Arsenal drew at home to Newcastle and it's the end of the world for them at the moment. I don't see how Mitoma would cope with it, it's a big step up. I know Mudryk is coming from Ukraine but he's been playing Champions League football and ripping it up.”

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, more talks between Shakhtar and Arsenal have taken place over the signing of Mudryk this week, with the Gunners’ second bid of £62m looking set to have been turned down by the Ukrainian giants at the beginning of the month, as per the Daily Mail.

CBS reporter Ben Jacobs recently told GiveMeSport that Mudryk is desperate to make his “dream” move to Arsenal this month, but Taylor believes that the north London side should be looking at Mitoma as an alternative.

What has Taylor said about Arsenal and Mitoma?

Taylor told GiveMeSport: “You’ve got Mitoma and I do think someone like Arsenal should maybe look at him as an alternative for Mudryk. He's a great option and a great player. But again, these clubs are going have to pay massive, massive money.”

Would Mitoma be a good signing for Arsenal?

Mitoma has enjoyed a solid campaign for Brighton at the time of writing, having scored four goals and provided two assists in 16 appearances, according to Transfermarkt.

The 42-goal star has played a big part in helping the Seagulls reach the top half of the Premier League in January, but his lack of top-level experience may stop the elite clubs in their tracks in a bid to sign him this month.

Mudryk’s experience of Champions League football – in which he scored three goals in six games this season – is likely to have impressed both Edu and Arteta and therefore it seems a more likely bet that the eight-time Ukraine winger will make the move to the Emirates Stadium this month.

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