Mykhailo Mudryk preferred to join Arsenal over Chelsea in January 2023 after talking to the Gunners boss Mikel Arteta.

Both London clubs were interested in signing Mudryk in the 2022-23 winter transfer window.

Chelsea ultimately won the race when they agreed a deal worth £88 million with Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Ukrainian club’s director of football Darijo Srna has revealed Mudryk wanted to join Arsenal after a convincing pitch by Arteta.

But since Chelsea made a better offer, Shakhtar agreed to sell the forward to the West Londoners.

Srna said : “Misha talked to Arteta. I talked to the Chelsea coach. And, probably, at that moment he liked Arteta more.

“But it is the club that decides whether to sell a player or not. We told him that the club has found a common language with Chelsea.”

Mudryk’s signing was widely regarded as a coup for Chelsea at the time.