Liverpool could be set to battle Arsenal for Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, according to reports in the Italian media.

The Gunners were heavily linked with the Ukrainian international over the summer but it is thought that they may be joined by Jurgen Klopp’s side in pursuing the 21-year-old when the transfer window reopens in January.

He was actually the subject of a bid from Merseyside rivals Everton in August but the proposal was rejected. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims Antony’s €100m move to Manchester United has had a major knock-on effect when it comes to Shakhtar’s price tag for Mudryk:

“They really think this guy is worth way more than €30 million. They received a proposal on the final week of the transfer window, €30 million plus add-ons from Everton. And they decided to say no after Antony to Manchester United for €100 million. They said, ‘for us, Mudryk can’t be sold for €30m, or €35m, or €40 million. We want way more than this’. So this is why in the end they decided to keep the player, because they are convinced that they are going to sell him for crazy, crazy money.”

Whether Shakhtar’s stance will soften, it is difficult to know, but Liverpool are not known for paying inflated prices for players, unlike some of their rivals.

If Mudryk’s valuation is way above €30m (£26.3m) as Romano states then it’s fair to assume that the Reds will cool their interest in the winger and move on to other targets.