Mykhailo Mudryk wanted to join Arsenal but was forced into £88m Chelsea transfer, says Shakhtar director of football

MYKHAILO MUDRYK preferred Arsenal to Chelsea before his move to the Premier League, according to the man who oversaw the flying winger’s record-breaking transfer. The Gunners and Blues both wanted to sign the Ukrainian star from Shakhtar Donetsk in January 2023. Mykhailo Mudryk was being courted by Arsenal and Chelsea in 2023 Credit: Getty Gunners boss Mikel Arteta delivered a convincing pitch Credit: Getty Chelsea won the race when they agreed to pay a fee that could rise to £88million, with £26m of that made up of performance-related add-ons. Shakhtar director of football Darijo Srna was heavily involved in the negotiations, handling the Chelsea side while the club’s general director Serhiy Palkin dealt with Arsenal. Sign up for the Arsenal newsletter Thank you! The former Croatia international, who remains in the same role today, has revealed that Mudryk was dazzled by the Arsenal project after speaking to Mikel Arteta. He said: “Misha talked to Arteta. I talked to the Chelsea coach. And, probably, at that moment he liked Arteta more. “But it is the club that decides whether to sell a player or not. We told him that the club has found a common language with Chelsea. “And then you decide for yourself: do you want to move or not? Either you go to Chelsea, or Arsenal offers the same conditions, or you stay at Shakhtar.” Arsenal fans were up in arms after Chelsea hijacked the transfer. One supporter was arrested for shining a laser pen in the winger’s eye when he faced them later that season. Srna revealed the reason Arsenal fumbled the deal on Denys Boyko’s podcast this week. Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK Darijo Srna was in contact with Chelsea during the January transfer window in 2023 Credit: Jamie McPhilimey The Blues struck a big-money deal with Shakhtar Donetsk Credit: Getty He added: “From what I know from Serhiy Palkin, he communicated with Arsenal. I was more in contact with Chelsea, but he and the president conducted all this policy. “I was just directly inside the process, the Chelsea sporting director and I were in touch. “Chelsea generally made a much better offer to Shakhtar than Arsenal. We can discuss it, but we cannot accept a worse offer than the one we have.” Life in London turned sour when Mudryk was suspended in December 2024 after meldonium, a prohibited substance, was discovered in a sample provided while on international duty with Ukraine. But he successfully appealed a four-year doping ban earlier this year and joined Tottenham on loan in the summer transfer window. After making his Spurs debut in the 0‑0 draw at Nottingham Forest this month, Mudryk suffered an injury in training that threatens to keep him out for several weeks. Spurs have an option to buy the 25-year-old for £75m, but for now they’ll have to wait. Mudryk will miss several more games, but boss Roberto De Zerbi should have the explosive winger back by the time of the first North London Derby in December. Comment now