Newcastle could hijack Arsenal's bid to sign £50m+ star in January after Saudi owners 'give the green light'

Newcastle are preparing to rival Arsenal for the signature of highly-rated Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, it has been claimed.

Mudryk, 21, is reportedly on the radar of a number of European football's top clubs after continuing to impress for Shakhtar this season.

The Ukraine international has already scored eight goals and provided seven assists in just 15 games.

He particularly caught the eye in the Champions League, scoring three times in his six appearances in the competition.

Arsenal were reportedly in talks to sign the winger in the summer transfer window but pulled out of negotiations after refusing to meet Shakhtar's asking price.

"They had very confident talks on Mudryk's side, on the player's side," transfer expert Fabrizio Romano explained on his YouTube channel.

"But then they decided not to proceed with Shakhtar, because they wanted more than €60-65m, I am told.

"So it's not going to be an easy one. But they are still following the player."

Arsenal are expected to return with another approach for Mudryk but could face competition from another Premier League side.

Newcastle preparing approach for Mudryk

Football Insider claim Newcastle are also interested in signing the winger, who is under contract with Shakhtar until 2026.

The report claims Newcastle have made "preliminary moves" over a potential January deal which could cost in excess of £50m.

Mudryk has expressed a desire to play in the Premier League (Image: Alamy)

Newcastle are said to be "encouraged" by Shakhtar's failure to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League.

The club's Saudi owners have reportedly given the green light for the Magpies to sign Mudryk as a "box-office" January signing.

Mudryk dreams of playing in the Premier League

Mudryk has previously admitted he dreams of playing in the Premier League.

When asked if he will one day play in England, Mudryk told The Times: "Yes, yes, it is possible.

"The Premier League is the best league in the world and everyone wants to play in this league.

"I'm only at a maximum of 20 percent of my potential."

Topics: Newcastle United, Football, Arsenal, Premier League, Transfers

Rory O'Callaghan

Rory O'Callaghan is Editorial Lead at SPORTbible. He has previously worked for Sky Sports News, MailOnline and Reach covering football, cricket, boxing and MMA. Tested daily as a Liverpool fan in a Manchester office.

@rory_ocallaghan