Arsenal are set to spend big in the January transfer window, and according to recent reports, the Gunners are close to winning the race to sign Shakhtar Donetsk superstar Mykhaylo Mudryk.
According to the Mirror, Mikel Arteta’s side are set to win the long-standing battle to sign the Ukrainian international, with a deal worth £40m close to being wrapped up in what will likely be the first and biggest deal Arsenal conclude in January.
Mudryk has won many plaudits this summer following his exploits in the UEFA Champions League, with the 21-year-old bagging ten goals and eight assists in all competitions as Shakhtar finished third in their group, with Arsenal now set to bring Ukraine’s next top talent to north London.
Depth on the wing has been something Arsenal have been crying out for all season. Thankfully, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have remained largely fit all year, with Reiss Nelson and Fabio Vieira impressing as the duo’s deputies throughout the campaign.
However, there’s no denying that if Arsenal are to truly challenge for the Premier League title, quality in depth is crucial if Arteta is to keep up the pace with Manchester City, which is what makes the potential sign of Mudryk so exciting for us supporters.
With that being said, here’s what Arsenal’s starting XI could look like if the Gunners are to complete a deal for Mudryk in the January transfer window.
Arsenal’s most likely XI after signing Mykhaylo Mudryk
The most likely XI we could see from Arsenal signing Mudryk is what we have become accustomed to all season barring Martinelli dropping out of the team in place of the Ukrainian, with the Shakhtar star likely to act as the Brazilian’s deputy in the squad.
Whilst it might seem fair to drop Martinelli given his incredible form this season, left-wing is a position that Mudryk has played throughout his entire career, with the winger only drifting out to the right on a handful of occasions. Which means that the 21-year-old will challenge for that starting spot should he arrive in January.
Gabriel Martinelli takes centre stage to replace Gabriel Jesus
Of course, Mudryk signing doesn’t mean that Martinelli is out of the starting XI completely. Indeed, the Brazilian’s threat as one of Arsenal’s best attackers means that there’s a good chance that Arteta could place the youngster in another position, namely, the starting striker role.
Whilst Gabriel Jesus has made the position his own this season, the 25-year-old’s lack of goals has been an issue that many has addressed in recent months. And for Martinelli, the arrival of Mudryk could mean the Brazilian wonderkid leading the line as a more dynamic threat than his South American counterpart.
Mikel Arteta changes system to fit new signing Mykhaylo Mudryk
The beauty of Arteta’s Arsenal is their ability to be flexible and tactically diverse. And as a result, there’s a strong chance that the arrival of Mudryk could see the Gunners change shape entirely, with the north London side reverting to a 4-2-3-1 with Martin Odegaard joining the attack.
The Norwegian international is the club’s top goalscorer this season. And whilst goals might not be what Odegaard is known for, the playmaker partnering the likes of Mudryk and Saka in an attacking-midfield three is an exciting prospect for many Arsenal fans, with Jesus leading the line and playing the role he has demonstrated so well this season.
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