Arsenal in race to sign 7-goal star from next week’s opponents | OneFootball

Arsenal are among those in the race to sign Shakhtar Donetsk’s Georgi Sudakov, with the two clubs set to face off in the Champions League next week.

HAMBURG, GERMANY: Heorhii Sudakov of Schkhtar in action during the UEFA Europa League 2023/24 Knockout Round Play-offs First Leg match between FC Shakhtar Donetsk and Olympique de Marseille at Volksparkstadion on February 15, 2024. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Pete O’Rourke reports for Football Insider that Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal are in the race to sign Georgi Sudakov from Shakhtar Donetsk, though the Ukrainian club have no plans to sell him in the January transfer window.

Instead, it’s expected that interested parties firm up their interest in the summer.

Manchester City and Liverpool have also been named on the shortlist of clubs O’Rourke believes are in for Sudakov.

WROCLAW, POLAND: Georgly Sudakov during warm-up prior to the UEFA EURO 2024 Play-Offs final match between Ukraine and Iceland at Tarczynski Arena on March 26, 2024. (Photo by Rafal Oleksiewicz/Getty Images)

Though Charles Watts doesn’t explicitly confirm the links, he writes in his Daily Briefing that they make sense. It’s too early to say if Arsenal will actually move for the player, but Watts claims it’s no surprise to see him mentioned as a potential target.

Sudakov reportedly fits the profile Mikel Arteta and Edu like, as well as playing in an area where the club plan to recruit.

Shakhtar CEO Sergei Palkin had claimed earlier this year that Sudakov was certain to move on in the summer, saying: “This summer window, he has a big chance to move to some big clubs.

“We have had some contacts with big clubs and some are not negotiating with us directly but are getting a feel for the summer environment.

“He will definitely move to a top European club this summer.”

WROCLAW, POLAND: Georgly Sudakov of Ukraine looks on during the UEFA EURO 2024 Play-Offs final match between Ukraine and Iceland at Tarczynski Arena on March 26, 2024. (Photo by Rafal Oleksiewicz/Getty Images)

That didn’t happen, and it’s perhaps just another example of mind games from the Shakhtar hierarchy. Arsenal already dealt with plenty of that with Mykhailo Mudryk.

Shakhtar staff will certainly meet with the Arsenal higher-ups next week, but not for transfer talks. The two clubs are set for a game at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday at 20:00 BST, and fans might want to keep an eye on Sudakov’s performance.

The player has seven goals and two assists in 10 games for Shakhtar this season, though all nine goal contributions have come in domestic competition. He’s yet to get off the mark in his two Champions League appearances so far in 2024/25.