"Incredible" player is already telling people he expects to join Arsenal

Arsenal target Mykhaylo Mudryk has reportedly told people in Dubai that he expects to join Arsenal in January.

The Gunners have already submitted two bids for the player in the last week, with the first bid totalling €65 million being rejected by his current club Shakhtar Donetsk.

The club's CEO, Serhii Palvin, revealed in December that he was set to have more conversations with Gunners chiefs, with a second improved bid presented to the Ukrainian club on Monday.

Mudryk himself has already dropped hints that he may want a move to Arsenal, posting an Instagram story showing him watching the Gunners' 3-1 Boxing Day win over West Ham.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has said the club must be 'active' in the January window, and they are eight points clear of Manchester City, who have a game in hand, after their 0-0 draw against Newcastle on Tuesday.

And while the club are clearly keen to get a move for the 21-year-old winger completed as soon as possible, it now appears the player has made his intentions clear.

Mudryk reportedly wants Arsenal move

The Daily Mail have claimed that Mudryk, whilst on holiday in Dubai in mid-December, told people that he expected to end up at Arsenal in January.

The Ukrainian league is currently in the middle of its winter break, with Shakhtar having been last in action on November 23. Their next fixture is on February 16, when they take on Rennes in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.

The report will hand Arsenal fans yet more excitement as a move appears to edge closer - but the Gunners will still have to meet the selling club's asking price in order to finalise a deal.

Shakhtar's deputy sporting director, Carlo Nicolini, told Calciomercato that a fee of around £100 million would be required to sell Mudryk, with Arsenal's opening bid falling well short of that figure.

Fans will hope that the improved second bid makes further progress, as Arteta looks to bolster his squad for a busy second half of the Premier League season.