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According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool and Arsenal are keeping tabs on Shakhtar Donetsk's 22-year-old midfielder Georgiy Sudakov. The talented Ukrainian is believed to have a €65 million price tag with a host of clubs in Europe keeping interested in him.
Sudakov has been impressive for the Donetsk-based side this season, bagging seven goals and two assists in 875 minutes across 10 games. He is a vital part of his team's setup, with 28 goals and 21 assists in 8402 minutes for the club since his debut in 2021 spread across 122 games.
The Ukrainian side previously rejected a reported €40 million bid from Serie A side Napoli for Sudakov and are likely to hold firm for a big fee for the midfielder. The 22-year-old's contract with the club runs till 2028.
The report suggests Arsenal see Sudakov as a potential replacement for Jorginho and Thomas Partey, whose contracts expire in the summer of 2025. Liverpool view the 24-time international as an alternative to Martin Zubimendi. However, both sides will face competition for his signature, with Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, and Newcastle United also keeping tabs.
Manchester United icon discusses rejecting Liverpool and Arsenal
Manchester United icon Nicky Butt revealed he rejected moves to Liverpool and Arsenal after his time with the Red Devils came to an end. The former central midfielder came through the club's ranks before leaving in 2004 to join Newcastle United in a reported €3.75 million deal.
Butt represented the Red Devils 385 times and helped the team claim eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and one UEFA Champions League. He discussed his departure from the club and his refusal to join their rivals with Paul Scholes on the Football's Greatest podcast, saying:
“I got asked to speak to Liverpool - never gonna happen. Arsenal - never gonna happen. I knew my mind was set on Newcastle. So for me, the real rivalry thing for United would have been impossible. Liverpool was impossible, yeah. No matter what they were gonna give you."
Butt endured a mixed six-year stint with Newcastle that saw him play 171 times and help them win the Championship title in 2010. He now serves as the CEO of Salford City with his other class of 92 teammates.
