Arsenal are clearly looking for attacking reinforcements this month as they look to provide Mikel Arteta’s playing squad with enough depth to compete for the title in the second half of the season.
The most frequently mentioned name is Shakhtar Donetsk sensation Mykhalo Mudryk, who the BBC claims the Gunners are in talks to sign.
Other reports suggest that the Ukraine club are looking for a €90 million (£80 million) fee to let him leave this month, a figure that includes Manchester United’s summer move for Antony.
Nizaar Kinsella of the Evening Standard recently reported Arsenal’s interest in him, claiming that scouts will be sent to watch him in the coming weeks but will face stiff competition from Manchester City and other Premier League rivals.
A former FC Barcelona trialist, the Greek dynamo, like Mudryk, can play anywhere across the frontline and in midfield. According to Transfermarkt, he has four assists in 14 appearances this season.
Konstantelias appears to be an ideal prototype to the £80m star based on his Sofascore heat map, as the 19-year-old gem features frequently on the left flank, where he has also averaged 1.1 shots and 1.4 key passes per game in the Greek Super League – compared to Mudryk’s 1.5 shots and 0.8 key passes.
Alexandros Malakasiotis, the head of Agia Pareskevi’s academy, described the PAOK wonderkid as a “phenomenon” after drawing comparisons to PSG duo Neymar and Lionel Messi (via GOAL).
Also dubbed “a Messi clone” by journalist Stavros Kolkas, it could be well worth the risk if sporting director Edu Gaspar takes a bargain bet on Konstantelias this month for just £10 million.
It’s a fraction of what KSE would have to pay for Mudryk, so they could help Arteta bolster his squad in other areas, such as up front and in deeper midfield.
