Arsenal Transfer News Roundup: Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder dreams of Emirates move; Gunners monitoring Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, and more - September 24, 2022
Arsenal will look to solidify their position atop the Premier League when they face third-placed Tottenham Hotspur next weekend. Mikel Arteta's wards have won six of their seven games this season.
Meanwhile, a Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder has expressed his desire to move to the Emirates. Elsewhere, the Gunners are keeping a close eye on Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
On that note, here's a look at the key Arsenal transfer stories as on September 24, 2022:
Mykhaylo Mudryk dreams of Emirates move
Mykhaylo Mudryk has expressed his wish of playing at the top level. The Ukrainian midfielder has caught the eye with his exploits for Shakhtar Donetsk recently. Arsenal are among the clubs monitoring him with interest.
Speaking to Sport Arena, as cited by HITC, Mudryk also said that he remains committed to Shakhtar.
“I think that many young football players dream of getting to the top level. I’m no exception. I repeat; I have a valid contract with Shakhtar. And I am focused on fulfilling the tasks set by the club. Of course, if there is an opportunity, I watch (to play in) matches in the top championships," said Mudryk.
🎙️ Darijo Srna, Shakhtar sporting director on Mykhaylo Mudryk:
"In this position (on the left), he is the third best youngster in the world behind Vinicius and Mbappé. That was my opinion a year ago. I haven't changed my opinion." 🇺🇦💎 https://t.co/HWLrtEM7Bk
However, the Ukrainian did not hold back when talking about his admiration for the Gunners.
"Bayern Munich are playing very powerfully and strongly. Manchester City always play great football. But I have great admiration for the style of Arsenal; a talented coach, young, individually strong players who play good and modern football," said Mudryk.
Mudryk has appeared five times for the Ukrainian giants this season and has two goals across competitions.
Arsenal monitoring Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
Arsenal are keeping a close eye on Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, according to Fichajes via Caught Offside.
The Serbian midfielder's contract with Lazio expires in 2024, and he's yet to sign a new deal. Milinkovic-Savic reportedly wants to try a new challenge, explaining his reluctance to extend his stay at the Serie A club.
Milinkovic-Savic has a contact until 2024 but isn’t ready to talk about renewal. He wants to play in the World Cup first to once again generate interest of big clubs. Juve could move for him next summer, even if he renews & has a reasonable release clause. [GdS] #TweetsFrom2018 https://t.co/sxW01gqISJ
The Gunners are monitoring the player with interest. Arteta remains in the hunt for midfield reinforcements as he looks to take his team back to their heydays. However, the north London side could face competition from Manchester United for Milinkovic-Savic's signature.
Arsene Wenger backs Gunners to win league
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has backed the Gunners to win the Premier League this season. The north London side are atop the league after seven games.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Wenger said that his former club have a good chance of winning the league, as there's no 'super dominating' team this season.
“I would say they have a good chance this season. I don’t see any super dominating team. I believe there’s a good opportunity this season to do it," said Wenger.
He added:
“Of course, it’s a little bit of a special season this year as well because you have the World Cup in the middle. You don’t know how that will affect the individual performances of the players and the teams. But overall, I believe there’s a good opportunity (this season).”
The former manager went on to praise rteta, saying that the Spaniard has stayed true to the ethos of the club.
“I personally think Mikel Arteta was very conscious of the values of the club because he’s been educated at Arsenal. He’d been captain of my teams. He wanted to restore the values of the club and overall I think he’s done that well. After that, you need to create a belief and a sense of belonging, a sense that you belong to something that is bigger than you and that you want to serve,” said Wenger.
He continued:
“On that front, I believe he’s done well. I’m still in touch with them, and overall, I believe, they’re going the right way. Arsenal is a special club with special values. They have a good balance between tradition and forward thinking. Overall, I think they do that well again now."
Arteta has lost just one game, at Manchester United, this season.