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      Chelsea AGREE stunning £97m Mudryk transfer after hijacking Arsenal move as he jets in to London for medical

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      CHELSEA have agreed a deal worth nearly £100million to sign Ukraine star Mykhailo Mudryk.The Blues have blown Arsenal out of the water by agreeing a mega-fee with Shakhtar Donetsk.
      Chelsea have hijacked Arsenal’s bid to sign Shakhtar Donetsk star Mykhailo MudrykCredit: Getty
      Chelsea reached a megamoney deal to sign Mykhailo MudrykCredit: Rex
      It is understood Chelsea will pay £62m up front, with up to £35m in performance-related add-ons, taking the potential total to an eye-watering £97m.
      Mudryk, 22, has agreed a seven-and-a-half year contract at Stamford Bridge – despite previously hinting that he wanted to join Arsenal.
      The Gunners agreed personal terms with the winger but pulled out of negotiations when Shakhtar started driving the price higher amid interest from Chelsea.
      Blues officials, including director of global talent and transfers Ben Winstanley, are reported to have travelled to Turkey, where Shakhtar are holding a training camp, to thrash out a deal.
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      The arrival of Mudryk will take Chelsea’s spending so far in January to well over £100m.
      Defender Benoit Badiashile arrived from Monaco for £35m, while David Datro Fofana came from Molde for about £10m.
      The Blues have splashed another £10m on a loan fee for Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix, who was sent off on his debut against Fulham in midweek.
      The new Chelsea regime’s latest splurge on players follows the record-breaking £273m they spent last summer.
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      Mudryk is one of the hottest properties in world football after his impressive form for Shakhtar, particularly in the Champions League where he scored three goals and made two assists in six games.
      Chelsea boss Graham Potter is said to have personally driven the deal as he seeks to arrest a slump that has left the team in mid-table and facing a real battle to qualify for the Champions League. More

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      ‘Stop toying with us’ – Arsenal fans fume as Shakhtar Donetsk troll them over Mudryk transfer with teasing tweets

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      ARSENAL fans have been left fuming with Shakhtar Donetsk after the club teased news about transfer target Mykhailo Mudryk.The Gunners have had two bids rejected already for the 22-year-old by the Ukrainian outfit.
      Mykhailo Mudryk is a top transfer target of ArsenalCredit: Getty
      However a third offer worth around £62million plus add-ons was being lodged, despite the selling club wanting a larger fee up front for their star.
      There is a confidence that a deal will be completed and Arsenal fans are excited about the prospect of seeing the flying winger in their team.
      However, some were less than impressed at Shakhtar Donetsk’s social media account.
      As a way of building up to the announcement that Mudryk had won the club’s player of the year award, they hinted at news concerning the player, as the club tweeted: “Mudryk?”
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      However, Gunners’ fans thought that the announcement was to do with his transfer, and let their feelings known when they turned out to be wrong.
      One tweeted: “Stop toying with us…”
      A second commented: “Really don’t know why they doing this to us anyway…”
      A third added: “Why are you doing this?”
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      A fourth said: “We will mass report this account you better act accordingly.”
      And another added: “Admin working HARD to gas up us Gooners. I wanna hate it, but I can’t! The hustle is too good.”
      According to the Times, Arsenal believe that he will be part of the squad ahead of their game against Manchester United next weekend. More

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      ‘That’s our boy’ – Tottenham fans love how Cristian Romero refers to Arsenal ahead of North London derby

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      CHRISTIAN ROMERO deepened his affection from the Tottenham faithful with the way he referred to rivals Arsenal.The Gunners sit top of the league going into Sunday’s North London derby.
      Christian Romero refused to name Arsenal in a recent interviewCredit: Getty
      But he admitted the importance of winning the game on SundayCredit: Reuters
      However, as with any derby, form can go out the window, and Romero seems intent to make that happen.
      And he started this off with some mind games in an interview, in which he refused to name Arsenal, instead simply using “them” to refer to Mikel Arteta’s side.
      Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the derby, he said: “I think we can come back from this far back (11 points behind). But there’s a lot of work we need to do, using everything we’ve got.
      “If you’re top of the league, you deserve to be there and that’s where they are. But we want to be there ourselves.
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      “We know we need to improve a lot of things, but we are working hard thinking about us, not them.”
      With him refusing to name Arsenal, Spurs fans were enamoured by Romero.
      Taking to Twitter, one user said: “That’s our boy.”
      A second user declared: “I love this man.”
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      A third said: “Good don’t even speak there name 🤢”
      “He just keeps getting better,” added another.
      While the form book may point towards an Arsenal victory, they have not won away at Spurs since 2014 – when manager Arteta was at the heart of midfield.
      A loss in the clash would see Spurs simultaneously lose ground on the top four race and go 14 points behind their North London neighbours.
      And despite not naming Arsenal once Romero was full of praise for the league leaders, also admitting the importance of a win.
      He said: “If I have to say something about them, they’ve got a strong squad.
      “They are in an important moment in what they’ve been building for years and we can see that, at the moment, they’re doing well. For us, we’re in a position where we still need to grow.
      “This game is important. We need to win it. We need the result. It will be hard, but I believe in our team. Between us, we’re always motivated. It’s not only just with the derby, even though it’s a very important game.
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      “The Premier League is difficult, there are many strong squads you play where you have to be 100 per cent for. If not, you can’t play in this climate.
      “We know this season has been a bit up and down, we have to say it, but we hope to win. We will do everything to win this game at home.” More

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      Mykhailo Mudryk ‘set for baptism of fire against Man Utd with Arsenal confident of completing £84m transfer’

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      ARSENAL are reportedly confident of landing Mykhailo Mudryk in time to face Manchester United next weekend.The winger has been tipped for a move to England and is the No1 transfer target for the Premier League leaders.
      Mykhailo Mudryk could be set for a bumper Arsenal debutCredit: Getty
      The Gunners have had two bids rejected already for the 22-year-old by Shakhtar Donetsk.
      A third offer worth around £62million plus add-ons was being lodged.
      However, Shakhtar wanted a larger fee up front for their star, now the North London club are prepared to break the bank with a club record £84m bid.
      Mudryk is in Turkey with his team-mates for a warm-weather training camp during the winter break.
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      And despite Shakhtar wanting a larger fee up front for their star, “there is an acceptance” a deal will be concluded soon.
      Now The Times are claiming that Mikel Arteta’s team firmly believe they will have the Ukrainian international on-board for their crunch clash with United at the Emirates on Sunday, January 22.
      Mudryk and his representatives have already agreed a five-year contract with Arsenal.
      And he has broken his silence over a transfer to Arsenal.
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      After news of a fresh approach broke, Mudryk took to Instagram and posted a praying emoji on his story.
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      Arsenal go into the weekend five points clear at the top of the table ahead of their trip to Tottenham tomorrow in the North London derby.
      They then return to home turf next week for the showdown with fourth-placed United, who take on title challengers Man City today, next weekend. More

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      Tony Adams: I’ve not been this excited about Arsenal in 20 years – Partey is Vieira and Petit rolled into one

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      IT takes a lot to impress Tony Adams these days.The Arsenal idol has seen too many false dawns at the Emirates to allow himself to get carried away by a few positive results.
      Tony Adams rates the modern-day Gunners as their most exciting squad in the near 21 years since he retiredCredit: Getty
      Thomas Partey has been ‘out of this world’ and releases fellow midfielder Martin Odegaard for his brilliant playmakingCredit: Getty
      Partey has been compared to the combined talents of iconic Arsenal midfield pairing Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel PetitCredit: Action Images – Reuters
      So when he admits that he has not felt this electrified by his former club since he retired, you know that something special must be happening.
      Because the man who captained the Gunners for 14 years and won ten major trophies, including four top-flight titles, is convinced Mikel Arteta is creating a team to compete with anyone in the game.
      And ahead of Sunday’s North London derby, he predicts a very different outcome to the last time these bitter rivals met at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      It is now almost 21 years since Adams made the last of his 669 appearances for the club and he said: “This is the most excited I’ve been by an Arsenal team since I retired.
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      “There’s a group of guys who look like they have a chance of actually winning the title and now they’ve come this far they can’t settle for second place.
      “I absolutely love what I’m seeing this season and defensively they’ve gone to another level.
      “The manager has stopped rotating his team and we’re not being so stupid at the back.
      “For the previous two years under Arteta and even before him when Unai Emery was in charge, there was a constant desire to play out from the back at all costs. It was suicidal football and their success rate in getting the ball out of their own half was only ten per cent.
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      “Now Aaron Ramsdale is happy to put his foot through the ball when it’s needed and I really  like the confidence and swagger he’s brought to the team after  20 years of Arsenal keepers being too respectful.
      “Having Ben White at right-back has also made a huge difference because, hallelujah, we finally have full-backs that can defend.
      “When you have an out-and-out winger like Bukayo Saka, you don’t need an attacking full-back and White has been able to fit in next to William Saliba and fill the gaping hole that we used to leave in that channel.
      “White is comfortable at full-back and though Saliba and Gabriel still have an occasional mistake in them, as a unit they’re really solid.
      “The Dixon, Bould, Adams and Winterburn combination at Arsenal was so successful because we worked as a unit and knew each others’ games inside out.
      “You need consistency and familiarity from playing together on a regular basis and that’s what is happening with this Arsenal back four.
      “But any defence is only as good as the protection from in front and my player of the season so far is Thomas Partey, because he’s been out of this world.
      “He’s Patrick Vieira and Manu Petit rolled into one and I’m loath to bring attention to how well he’s playing because I feel Arsenal have been getting away with it.
      “If you don’t put someone on him, he will dictate the game because he breaks things up for fun and gets the whole team  playing.
      Adams believes the Gunners are rediscovering the type of defensive solidity made famous by his partnership with Steve BouldCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka is a ‘wonderkid’ who should be PFA Player of the Year, according to AdamsCredit: Getty
      “Having Partey playing every week after all his injury problems has released Martin Odegaard and means we don’t have that crazy thing with Granit Xhaka trying to drop in at left-back to provide cover any more.”
      But it is not only in defence where Adams has seen this young Arsenal team come on in leaps and bounds.
      He said: “Saka is a wonderkid. He makes goals and scores goals. He should already be the PFA Player of the Year.
      “I’ve been waiting for the last three years for him and Gabriel Martinelli to get tired but they just keep going.
      “And that’s a good job for Arteta, because without those two kids dragging the team for the last two seasons, he wouldn’t still be in a job.”
      Despite Arsenal holding a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, 56-year-old Adams is still not convinced they are heading for their first title since 2004.
      He recalled: “In February 1989, we were 19 points ahead of Liverpool but we still went to Anfield needing to win on the final day to win the title.
      “Absolutely the nerves creep in when you find yourself out in front and suddenly thinking, ‘Oh my God, we’re top of the table and we might actually win the league’.
      “What worries me now is that, when push comes to shove, Manchester City have too many options in their squad.
      “There’s not a lot on the Arsenal bench and, as well as he’s doing at the moment, I don’t think you win the league with Eddie Nketiah as your striker.
      Ben White offers good old-fashioned stability at right-backCredit: Getty
      “They need reinforcements and they need Gabriel Jesus back from injury to get them over the line. That could be the title decider.”
      All of which makes tomorrow’s trip to Tottenham all the more  important.
      No one at the Emirates has  forgotten how Spurs were awarded a soft early penalty last May before Rob Holding was sent off and the team lost 3-0 to effectively wreck their hopes of Champions League qualification.
      But Adams points out: “Last time we had Cedric, Holding and Tomiyasu in defence and Elneny in midfield. This will be an entirely different Arsenal team.
      “Tottenham played a very simple game up to Harry Kane and we didn’t cover it. But this time  we’ll have Partey cutting off his supply line.
      “Kane’s approaching his thirties and Arsene Wenger would tell you he’s not going to be the same player physically for much longer. But that’s Tottenham all over. 
      “This current group of players are miles away from challenging the top teams.
      “The annoying neighbours are there for the taking but it’s also their cup final — and all they’ve got to play for on Sunday is the chance to stop Arsenal from winning the league.
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      “Tottenham had a great team when I started   playing against them. We were the underdogs and we just went out and kicked them off the pitch.
      “But that completely changed once we’d won our first title and they were always in our shadow after that. And that’s how it is shaping up again now.” More

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      Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp’s son Mitchel signs for National League side Bromley after failing to bag Gunners deal

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      DENNIS BERGKAMP’S son Mitchel has joined National League side Bromley.The attacking midfielder, 24, played for Watford Under-23s after a trial with his legendary dad’s old club Arsenal.
      Bergkamp Junior, Mitchel, could make his Bromley debut on Saturday after signing for the non-Leaguers the day beforeCredit: Bromley FC
      Dad Dennis Bergkamp was one of Arsenal’s greatest-ever playersCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      But Bergkamp Junior is dropping to the fifth tier after admitting his footballing dream was to play for the Gunners.
      The Dutchman has failed to break through in England since being released by home-country club Almere City in 2021.
      But Bromley boss and ex-Brentford keeper Andy Woodman told his club’s website: “I was lucky enough to work with Mitchell when I was at Arsenal.
      “So having seen him up close and the way he’s been fitting into our group, I’m delighted to have him on board.”
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      Bergkamp is available for Saturday’s home clash with lowly Yeovil.
      Bromley, in 10th, are four points adrift of the play-off spots.
      And fans on social media believe they will go up – should Mitchell possess just a fraction of his dad’s talent.
      One fan said of Mitchel: “If he’s anything like his old man, Bromley are going up.”
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      Another said: “If he’s got even 1/10th of what his Dad has he could be a joy to watch. Welcome to the club!”
      Bergkamp Senior was one of Arsenal’s 2003-04 Invincibles.
      The former striker retired in 2006 after 120 goals in 423 games during 11 year glorious years with the Gunners.
      That spell brought him three top-flight titles and four FA Cup successes.
      Bergkamp also notched 37 goals in 79 matches for Holland.
      He was then assistant manager at first club Ajax from 2011-2017.
      Dennis Bergkamp was No2 at Dutch giants Ajax for six yearsCredit: Getty More

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      Bacary Sagna reveals what Arsenal need to do to beat Man City for Prem title ahead of North London derby vs Tottenham

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      ANYTHING other than victory for Arsenal against “direct opposition”, such as Tottenham, could scupper their Premier League title chances, reckons Bacary Sagna.Sagna joined the Gunners from Auxerre in 2007 where he amassed a total of 284 appearances and won the 2014 FA Cup during his seven-year stint at the Emirates.
      Bacary Sagna revealed how Arsenal can beat Manchester City in the Premier League title raceCredit: Getty
      Ex-Arsenal ace Bacary Sagna believes his former club can win the Premier LeagueCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      But Bacary Sagna insists Arsenal will have to beat their title rivalsCredit: GETTY IMAGES
      Now the North Londoners have launched a surprise title bid as they sit top of the table with Manchester City – another former club of the ex-right-back – five points behind.
      The former France international is confident Mikel Arteta’s in-form side will beat all of their non-title rivals.
      But the 39-year-old insists a draw against a fellow top-six side and the revived Newcastle, who are currently third, won’t be enough to guarantee the title.
      Sagna is adamant Arsenal must beat rivals Tottenham away this Sunday to make a strong statement.
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      The Frenchman even went as far as to claim that victory against Spurs and Manchester United this month as well as City in February could guarantee them their first title since 2004.
      Speaking to Lord Ping, Sagna said: “Arsenal need to beat their direct opposition – they need to beat the biggest teams in the league including Manchester City. I’m not worried about the other games that Arsenal have, they will win those.
      “The real challenge for Arsenal is to win against their title rivals. If they manage to win the home game against Man City, then that will put them in a great position to win the title, but they need to win their games before that to keep leading the pack starting with Tottenham on Sunday.
      “I think it’s a tricky one to say with certainty who will win the league. I am very curious to see how Arsenal perform against Tottenham in the derby.
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      “This is a really important period for Arsenal. If they manage to come through it, winning all of their next games against Tottenham, Manchester United and then City in February, they will surely be crowned champions at the end of the season.
      “I am also interested in seeing how the team and the fans will react if they were to lose against Tottenham because Arsenal’s season bar a defeat at Old Trafford, which they were the better team, has been almost perfect so far.”
      Sagna knows exactly the level of opposition Arsenal can expect from City, as he spent three years at the Etihad after leaving north London in 2014.
      The Frenchman loved the family atmosphere at the Gunners but still remembers how competitive the Citizens have been, especially under manager Pep Guardiola.
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      Sagna added: “Arsenal was a family club. It was like a childhood club where you were with your friends, that kind of vibe. I knew everything about my teammates at Arsenal; their families, their life off the pitch, the struggles that they had.
      “When I arrived at City, I found a different environment which was not familiar to me because I didn’t really know anyone there. When I first walked into the dressing room at City, I don’t want to say the players were shy, but they didn’t say much. There was total respect between the players, but it was different to Arsenal.
      “The atmosphere did change and, over time, it got better for me, but it was very strange for me to walk into a dressing room and not hug the players, like I did at Arsenal. When I first arrived at City, the other players would come in and say “good morning”, it wasn’t as familiar.
      “It was just a bit different. I needed time to adapt and then I found my way. I realised that some of the players were a little bit shy or preferred to speak in private – I had to go to them.
      “I was starting again from zero and you need to earn the trust of the other players. When you play in a club where there are only international players, there can be a competition that can create tension because everyone is competing for a place in the team, but slowly that goes away and the vibe between the group becomes stronger.”
      However, Sagna is confident of Arsenal’s chances after noticing how the club took a new direction that is reminiscent of its glory years.
      The former defender was particularly happy to see legendary manager Arsene Wenger finally back at the Emirates last month for the first time since his exit in 2018.
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      Sagna said: “That felt good. He belongs to Arsenal. He belongs to the club. I can understand how difficult it would have been for him to go back to The Emirates, especially after how he left.
      “It was probably hard for him to leave his baby and he found the courage to come back, which can only be good for the club and for himself.”
      Arsenal will have to beat Tottenham this Sunday, as per Bacary SagnaCredit: AP
      Bacary Sagna spent seven years at Arsenal where he won the FA CupCredit: PA:Press Association
      Bacary Sagna also played for Manchester City after leaving ArsenalCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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      Arsenal star Oleksandr Zinchenko ‘received letter from FA warning him for over-celebrating’ when he wasn’t even playing

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      FA CHIEFS “warned” Oleksandr Zinchenko for over-celebrating… when the Arsenal hero was out injured!The summer signing leapt from the bench to join team-mates rejoicing Gabriel’s late comeback winner at home to Fulham in August.
      The FA re[ortedly wrote to tell Oleksandr Zinchenko he had gone too far when rejoicing over Gabriel’s late winner at home to Fulham in AugustCredit: Getty
      Left-back Zinchenko has become an instant fans’ favourite with his passionCredit: Getty
      And The Telegraph say the FA sent him a letter telling him he could be considered a “pitch invader” as he was not in the match-day squad.
      The Ukraine left-back has become an instant favourite with fans of the Premier League leaders after moving from champions Manchester City.
      And although he was unfit at the time, he leapt from the sidelines to roar his delight when Gabriel smashed home from a corner to seal a 2-1 victory over the Cottagers.
      Zinchenko ran down the touchline to share celebrations with Arsenal players by the corner flag.
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      And he gestured to fans with his hands to urge them to help see the Gunners home in the dying minutes.
      His joy was amplified by sharing Gabriel’s relief – as the Brazilian centre-back had been devastated when he blundered to gift Fulham’s opener to Aleksandar Mitrovic.
      But Martin Odegaard fired a deflected equaliser and Gabriel was mobbed by team-mates after he pounced for the clincher.
      Zinchenko has since put his injury niggles well behind him to emerge as an outstanding success for Mikel Arteta’s exciting side.
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      Ahead of Sunday’s trip to fifth-placed neighbours Tottenham, the Gunners sit five points clear of his old club City at the top.
      And Zinchenko has managed to restrain his enthusiasm in the last five months despite revelling in Arsenal’s amazing run. More