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As the January transfer window approaches, Arsenal and Chelsea are reportedly locked in a battle to sign Ukrainian international Mykhaylo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk.
However, the Gunners may be considering alternative options due to Shakhtar’s asking price of around £88 million, which would make Mudryk Arsenal’s record signing, surpassing the £72 million paid for Nicolas Pepe.
Manager Mikel Arteta has expressed a desire to add more “firepower” to the team and has emphasized the importance of not wasting the transfer window. When asked about the January window, Arteta said, “We are trying to improve the squad in every window.
This is no different, we will do our best because we cannot waste any window with the squad numbers that we have so we shall try.”
One potential alternative for Arsenal could be Japanese international Kaoru Mitoma of Brighton & Hove Albion. Despite being 25 years old, Mitoma is making his debut in the English Premier League this season after impressing on loan in Belgium last year, where he scored eight goals and recorded four assists.
Under Graham Potter, Mitoma was mostly a backup player, but he has recently been introduced to the starting lineup by Roberto De Zerbi and has three goals and an assist in his last five starts.
Brighton signed Mitoma for a reported £4.5 million in 2021 and he has two seasons left on his contract. This could make it easier for Arsenal to make a sizable offer for the player in the current transfer window.
So far, there have been no indications that Arsenal is considering signing Mitoma, but with the Mudryk deal proving problematic, the Gunners may be looking at other options to improve their squad.
