North London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal are reportedly firmly in the race to sign highly-rated Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Georgiy Sudakov in 2025.
The Ukraine international is widely regarded as one of European football’s top young talents and is known to be a top transfer target for numerous clubs, including a plethora of Premier League sides.
And although Shakhtar are notoriously difficult to do business with, both Tottenham and Arsenal are “doing their due diligence” on Sudakov with a view to a future transfer.
Football Insider‘s Pete O’Rourke reports that the duo are keen on landing the 22-year-old, despite the fact that any potential transfer is expected to be a complex one to pull off.
FI also adds that a move for the playmaker is unlikely to happen in the January transfer window, with interested parties much more likely to get their man next summer instead.
Sudakov has drawn comparisons to his Ukraine teammate Mykhailo Mudryk, who also caught the attention of top European clubs after his performances for Shakhtar Donetsk.
While that is not exactly a glowing comparison, given Mudryk’s struggles since his move to Stamford Bridge, there have been questions raised over whether Sudakov has the physical capabilities to transfer his talents to England.
A big transfer fee will also be required to get a deal done for potential suitors, with the player still currently under contract until 2028. There is no mention in the report of how much that figure could be, although Sudakov has previously been valued at around the £60million (€71m/$78m) mark.
Where Sudakov fits in at Tottenham, Arsenal
Sudakov has made a sensational start to the new season, scoring seven goals and laying on two assists in 10 games in all competitions and has also been turning heads with his performances in the Champions League, where he has solid experience for a player still in his early 20s.
In terms of where he would fit in at both Tottenham and Arsenal, the Shakhtar star has played the majority of his games in the No.10 role but can also drop deeper into midfield.
For Spurs, he would be direct competition for James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, given the Swede’s new role playing as a deeper-lying midfielder rather than a winger.
Sudakov arguably has more end product than both of those players, with 38 goal involvements in 80 league outings in his homeland, although the fact that the Ukrainian top flight is nowhere near as tough as the Premier League must be taken into account when considering those stats.
At Arsenal, Sudakov is considered a similar sort of talent to Gunners skipper Martin Odegaard, who has been sorely missed since being sidelined with an ankle ligament he suffered on international duty last month.
The Norway star is expected to be back in action next month but his absence has caused Mikel Arteta to be more pragmatic with his normal attacking approach, given how key Odegaard is in knitting midfield to attack at The Emirates.
To that end, adding another top playmaking talent to their squad certainly makes sense in the red half of north London to counter any such issues arising in the future.
Arsenal, Spurs also in Semenyo transfer battle
In other transfer news related to the north London duo, Arsenal are reportedly plotting a huge double swoop for Bournemouth pair Milos Kerkez and Antoine Semenyo, with the Gunners’ interest potentially affecting Liverpool, Tottenham and Newcastle United.
As per CaughtOffside, Arsenal rate Kerkez and Semenyo very highly and have set their sights on the duo as potential transfer targets for summer 2025. They want a new right winger who can provide cover and competition for Bukayo Saka, which is where Semenyo comes in, while Kerkez is viewed as a possible replacement for the likes of Kieran Tierney and Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back.
Arsenal have been very impressed by Semenyo’s performances this season, as the 24-year-old has been one of Bournemouth’s best performers and has notched three goals and one assist in seven Premier League games.
However, Tottenham have also been linked with a move for the exciting attacker, although TEAMtalk understands that Newcastle are currently leading the race for Semenyo.
IN FOCUS – Sudakov ready to take the next step
Sudakov certainly has plenty of backers when it comes to his quality and what he could produce if he does take that next big step and move to either England or another of Europe’s top leagues.
Former Tottenham striker Sergei Rebrov is the current Ukraine and he certainly rates the player very highly, with his country currently producing some impressive young talent.
Speaking over the summer, Rebrov told ESPN: “These young players have a bright future, I think what Heorhiy [Georgiy] is doing is giving lots of energy on the pitch, he understands football very well, he has a spirit. He can play in several positions, which is very important.”
Meanwhile, Shakhtar’s head of development Oskar Ratulutra appears to be putting the hard sell on the player, adding: “He’s a clever guy and he’ll adapt to any environment, and to any style of football. He’s ready to make another step and to reach his dream.”
Strong comments on the midfield talent from Ratulutra in particular, and Sudakov will certainly be a player to keep a close watch on going forward.