Arsenal were linked with Wolves star Pedro Neto over the last few years, but the winger is now closing in on a move to Chelsea.
Neto has impressed on both wings for Wolves and Portugal, and with Arsenal keen on adding a speedy wide attacker, he could have been perfect.
However, Neto’s injury record is a massive concern, and with Chelsea paying an initial £51m for him, Mikel Arteta was right not to be tempted into spending heavily on such a risky deal.
Neto will now join what is already an overinflated Chelsea squad, and Arsenal’s London rivals may end up having to sell several players.
Arsenal have done a lot of business with Chelsea over the years, with Kai Havertz arriving last summer in a big-money deal, and some fans want them to repeat this with Mykhaylo Mudryk, who has struggled at Chelsea since his arrival in January 2023.
Arsenal fans are divided over whether to sign Mykhaylo Mudryk
Mudryk was on the verge of joining Arsenal before Chelsea swooped in with a shock bid, and it is clear that the winger was unhappy about his proposed move to the Emirates being cancelled.
He has struggled to make an impact at Chelsea, but has shown glimpses of his raw speed, and some Arsenal fans have taken to X to call for Arteta to reignite his old interest in the Ukrainian.
“This is just a hunch, but I do wonder with Neto going to Chelsea, if we will go for Mudryk. Clearly is loved a lot at Arsenal, for how much we were willing to push the boat for him,” one fan posted.
“If it was a decent deal I’d love him. Obviously potential there that MA can extract,” a fan pointed out.
“He’s still only 23, has all the tools to be a top player, just needs Mikel to rebuild his confidence. Has the raw pace we lack in attack, ball striking and is good at combining which is key to everything we do. Worth a punt IMO,” a fan added.
“Giving how Havertz’ career has turned around since leaving Chelsea, I very much doubt Chelsea will be willing to do a similar business with us for a second time. I’d love him at the carpet though,” a fan highlighted.
However, other fans have pointed out that Arsenal do not have the time to try and fix Mudryk’s confidence and form, which have been shattered during his time at Chelsea.
“He’s got awful decision making skills, plus never played enough games to warrant the price tag in the first place, we’re trying to win the league/ucl this year. This guy ain’t it,” a fan claimed.
“I think the time is gone. Spent 18 months at a club that has no idea what it’s doing, had no strong leader to guide him & he never wanted to go there anyway. The guy’s mentality will be absolutely shattered and I don’t think we’re in a place now to take the risk,” a fan stated.
“Think Arsenal fans believe in Mudryk more than Chelsea fans,” an Arsenal fan claimed.
Arsenal should steer clear of Mykhaylo Mudryk
Mudryk is unlikely to become available given that his huge initial fee to bring him to Chelsea means a sale will not benefit their PSR situation.
However, even if he is available, Arsenal should not look in his direction. Despite Arteta and Edu Gaspar’s previous admiration for him, Mudryk has failed to live up to his potential at Chelsea, and is a shadow of the player Arsenal tried to buy.
Arsenal have little room for error this season as they aim to win the title. Whilst fixing Havertz’s form eventually worked out, it did take a lot of adjusting over time which ultimately cost Arsenal points.
Arsenal simply need an attacker who can add another dimension to the attack, and given the fee Mudryk would command, there are cheaper and better alternatives to be found in the market.
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