Newcastle United have reportedly set their sights on a move for Shakhtar Donetsk’s highly-coveted winger Mykhaylo Mudryk in January.
Newcastle United are set to join the race to sign in-demand Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk. That’s according to journalist Ben Jacobs, who reports the Magpies are among a host of top European clubs monitoring the winger heading into the January transfer window.
The Magpies had been hunting for a prolific winger all summer, with names like Moussa Diaby and Jack Harrison being discussed. They were, however, priced out of deals for the aforementioned players and instead brought in Alexander Isak, a versatile attacker who can operate across the frontline.
However, there is a good chance that Newcastle will bolster the wide areas when the transfer window reopens next year, having struggled to break down the opposition and showing a lack of quality in the final third in the absence of Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson.
Newcastle owners have taken a futuristic approach to their project due to financial fair play constraints. And it appears the Toon hierarchy means business in the upcoming window as they look to assemble a team that can challenge the Premier League’s top guns in the coming years.
They are set to sign Australian teenage wonderkid Garang Kuol. And now it seems they want to make another statement by signing Shakhtar Donetsk’s 21-year-old wing-wizard Mykhaylo Mudryk, who is one of Europe’s most wanted players right now.
Dubbed the “Ukrainian Messi”, Mudryk exploded onto the scene last season after being directly involved in 11 goals in just 865 minutes of footballing action, earning his first call-up to the national side. And a return of four-goal contributions from just two Champions League appearances so far this term have only further enhanced his stock.
Brentford made a £26 million bid for Mudryk in the early stages of the summer transfer window. Arsenal are long-term admirers of Mudryk and even contemplated submitting an offer in a bid to fend off interest from Everton, who reportedly had a €30 million verbal proposal turned down.
A move away from Shakhtar did not materialise, but he is now expected to be the subject of a bidding war in the winter window, with more clubs said to be joining the transfer race, with the Magpies said to be among those teams keen on him.
Mudryk would certainly be an exciting addition and has a very high ceiling in the game. The 21-year-old is known for his explosive pace, rapid acceleration, mazy dribbling, fast direction shifts, versatility, and creativity, whilst being two-footed means he can operate on either flank across Newcastle’s frontline.
In short, he has all the attributes to be a nightmare to deal with for defenders and looks like someone with the potential to become an absolute superstar in the near future if nurtured properly.
Despite having a contract with Shakhtar until 2026, Mudryk is thought to be open to leaving the Ukrainian outfit, who are asking for a £50 million plus bid to part ways with the winger. It remains to be seen whether Newcastle will make a move at that price when January rolls around.
