Arsenal showed firm interest in Mykhailo Mudryk before he joined Chelsea from Shakhtar Donetsk in the winter market.
Mudryk’s rejection saw the Gunners end up adding Leandro Trossard to their squad. Prior to signing him from Brighton & Hove Albion, they had looked at a few other attackers.
This includes Barcelona’s Raphinha, who arrived at the Camp Nou from Leeds United last summer. Arsenal tried signing the Brazil international before he joined the La Liga side.
Mikel Arteta’s side made an attempt for the 26-year-old last month, according to Sport’s Alfredo Martínez.
Writing in his column for the back page of the newspaper, he explains the Catalan club received a €70m offer from Mikel Arteta’s side for the winger, which included a €58m fixed fee.
It ‘was good business’ for Xavi Hernández’s side to sell the ex-Whites man to Arsenal in January as it would have helped them improve their economic conditions. However, Barca ruled out the South American’s transfer.
The Spanish giants see Raphinha as a player for the future, which is why they ‘said no’ to Arsenal’s proposal in January.
