Mikel Arteta will be hoping to strengthen his Arsenal side during the January transfer window ahead of a crucial second half of the campaign.

What's the word?

The North London side are set to win the race for Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhailo Mudryk according to recent reports and journalist Paul Brown believes Arsenal are “very keen” on adding the Ukrainian winger to their squad in the transfer window while speaking to GIVEMESPORT:

“They are very keen on this player. They’ve been looking at him for a long time. He’s been scouted extensively, and they’ve watched him again for several games this season. So he’s definitely one that they want. There’s definitely interest there.”

This suggests Arteta has done his homework on the player, and although it could cost the club around €100m (£86m) to secure his services, it could be money well spent.

Imagine him & Saka

The 21-year-old has arguably been one of the brightest young talents on the continent this season, registering a breathtaking 18 goal contributions (ten goals and eight assists) in just 18 matches across all competitions this term.

Compared to positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues, Mudryk ranks in the top 4% for non-penalty goals (0.48 per 90), assists (0.32), dribbles completed (1.93), and touches in the opposition penalty area (3.21), proving that he has been one of the finest performers in front of goal during the previous year.

Journalist Josh Bunting dubbed the Ukrainian as “frightening” and it's easy to see why considering his recent performances, with a move to the Premier League clearly the next logical step for his development.

With Arsenal setting the pace in the title race, Arteta will want to hammer home his advantage and avoid any slip-ups. Adding someone with the quality of Mudryk to the team would signal a massive statement of intent and could give the whole team a boost.

The youngster could also form an exciting wing partnership with Bukayo Saka, especially considering how well the Englishman has been performing as of late.

He has scored five goals and notched six assists this season, using his pace and creativity not only to create chances for himself, but to set his teammates up, and with a similar playing style to Mudryk, the duo could cause absolute havoc for opposition defences.

This might be slightly harsh on Gabriel Martinelli, who has also caught the eye this term on the left wing, scoring five goals and grabbing two assists, form that even even led to World Cup selection for Brazil.

The club are in an excellent position right now. If the 40-year-old manages to lure the youngster to the Emirates in the coming weeks, it could be the catalyst they need to win their first league title in 19 years while forming a tremendous partnership with the lively Saka in the process.

It could just be the perfect recipe, especially with Gabriel Jesus now facing time on the sidelines too.