Chelsea want reassurances that Mykhailo Mudryk wishes to join them before competing with Arsenal

Chelsea want reassurances that Mykhaylo Mudryk wishes to join them before entering into an auction with Arsenal for the Shakhtar Donetsk winger. 

SportsMail reported on Friday that the the Ukrainian ‘would prefer a move to the Emirates; if it came down to a two-way choice between the London rivals.

The Gunners have been linked with Mudryk for some time and had initial bids of  £52m and £62m rejected earlier this week with Shakhtar valuing their 22-year-old superstar at around £88m. 

Chelsea are looking for assurances that Mykhaylo Mudryk wants to join them this January 

Chelsea are also looking at Dani Olmo and Marcus Thuram to join their forward lines

But it now seems that Chelsea want to know if he wishes to join the club, before they engage in a bidding war with Arsenal for Murdryk. 

Chelsea, who completed the signing of midfielder Andrey Santos from Vasco da Gama on Friday, have also asked about Spain’s Red Bull Leipzig winger Dani Olmo and France forward Marcus Thuram, who is out of contract at Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer. 

Arsenal, meanwhile, are reluctant to pay over the odds for him but believe they are the 22-year-old’s preference. 

Arsenal are yet to make a signing but have had two bids for Mudryk rejected this week

Shakhtar are holding out for an offer around the £88m mark for their promising young winger

There was optimisim their improved bid of £62m could be accepted, but there is concern now that Chelsea could hijack the deal, especially considering Graham Potter’s mounting injury list with Raheem Sterling, Mason Mount and Christian Pulisic now all concerns. 

Mudryk meanwhile, who after joining Shakhtar in 2001 has returned 12 goals and 17 assists in 44 games, has been quite clear about his favoured destination, posting a picture on Instagram of him watching Arsenal’s game against West Ham on Boxing Day.

He has also had his say on his potential future manager Mikel Arteta claiming him and his former coach, Roberto di Zerbi, were both ‘top 2 coaches.’

While it is still unclear if he will join either side, Chelsea have been busy in the last week, signing defender Benoit Badiashile from Monaco, Ivorian striker David Datro Fofana and Brazilian youngster Andrey Santos.