Arsenal strongly linked with Ukrainian star as their defensive crisis deepens

Arsenal’s search for a new defender has taken them around Europe this month and their latest defensive target is at the far end of the continent in Ukraine.

Sky Sports claims that Arsenal is interested in signing Shakhtar Donetsk’s highly-rated defender, Mykola Matviyenko.

The defender has been one of the Ukrainian’s top defenders this season and he also played twice against Manchester City when Mikel Arteta was still their assistant manager.

The report claims that the Gunners are one of the teams who are looking to sign him this month and they have been quoted £30 million.

The defender will enter the final season on his current deal when this season ends and the club may be forced to cash in on him sooner than they may have wanted to.

Arsenal has been looking for a new defender this season and the suspension of David Luiz and the long term injury to Calum Chambers could force them to sign a new defender this month, however, Arsenal will most likely want a loan deal if possible.

The Gunners have limited funds to spend in this transfer window as they look to get more players when the next transfer window comes around.

Matviyenko has apparently impressed Arteta and the Spaniard could test the Ukrainians with some sort of loan offer that involves an option to make the loan permanent at a later date.

Sky Sports do not always get it right but they are certainly a lot more credible than the tabloids. This is one worth keeping an eye on.

14 Comments

    1. Yes. 30 M is too much for a small CB with no top European league experience

      That kind of money can give us John Stones, James Tarkowski, John Egan or Michael Keane in this month

      Their contracts will end in 2022, so their price tags must be reasonable. They also know EPL very well

  1. Jan 20th Matviyenko valued at 5mill.
    Jan 22nd. Arsenal make enquiry
    Jan 24th Matviyenk price rise to 20m 🙂
    Offer then 5mill and Mavropanos.

  2. Mykola Matviyenko has actually been on City’s radar for the past one year now and he was impressive against City this season. It makes sense Arteta would go for him,
    Because RBL already knocked us off by saying they’re not selling anyone now, Arsenal are looking to make a 15million pounds bid for Mykola now, but Shaktar expects between 25-30 million

  3. I don’t know. Tierney is the only defender on our team who should be a starter

    In summer we need 2 CB and RB minimum

    1. The Tierney you’re referring to has not proven himself in Arsenal shirt to be called a starter. As much as I would like to consent to your comments, I still think the defense has been good in the last 2,3 games.
      I’m of the opinion that we shouldn’t do any panic buy that will become another Pepe or the likes. Up gunners

      1. agree. Kolasinac has done better this season than Tierney, who to be fair never really got going with all these injury worries, and being put into the team at Emery’s lowest point.

  4. Watched him against Man City and was very impressed.Quick with a terrific left foot and reads the game well.Only drawback, at 6ft he lacks height which is probably essential in our PL.At 23 he has room for development and represents an upgrade on our centre backs.

  5. I think its the media putting two and two together and coming up with five. He was a player city and Arteta were watching.

  6. 30mill makes this unlikely to happen in Jan since we are only looking at low-cost purchases. I’d be fine with a Jerome Boateng LOAN.

  7. How many more players are we going to be ‘linked ‘ with. It’s just lazy journalism. I could say we are linked with Joe Bloggs of some obscure non league team and some newspaper would print it.

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