Newcastle United have been linked with a number of players in recent months and Ukrainian winger Mykhaylo Mudryk is reportedly on their transfer radar.
However, a report from Give Me Sport claims that the player has his heart set on joining Premier League rivals Arsenal instead.
Journalist Ben Jacobs told GMS: “Newcastle are very much not the frontrunners for Mudryk, who has got his heart set on Arsenal.”
The 21-year-old has been in fine form for Shakhtar Donetsk this season, and he has impressed in the UEFA Champions League as well. He has 10 goals and eight assists to his name this season.
Mudryk is highly rated in Ukraine and he has a big future ahead of him. Newcastle could use a quality winger like him to add more pace and unpredictability to their attack.
The development will come as a major blow for the Magpies and it will be interesting to see if they decide to pursue other avenues now.
Newcastle have a quality winger in Allan Saint-Maximin, but the Frenchman has had his fair share of injury problems, and he can be quite inconsistent as well. Eddie Howe could use another quality wide player and Mudryk could have been the ideal fit.
The 21-year-old Ukrainian winger can play on either flank, and his versatility would have been an asset for the Premier League side.
It will be interesting to see if Arsenal come forward with a concrete offer for the player and secure his services in the upcoming windows. The Gunners have been heavily linked with Mudryk in recent months and they are thought to be keen on signing him.