An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in signing Mykhaylo Mudryk ahead of the January transfer window...

What's the talk?

Journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed that the Magpies are one of a number of teams eyeing up a swoop to sign the £44m-rated winger, with Dan Ashworth keeping tabs on the young talent.

He Tweeted: "Bit more on Shakhtar winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, who has two UCL goals in two games. Mudryk is hoping for a January move and told me he "couldn't say no" to AFC. Several European clubs now tracking him, including Newcastle, Sevilla, Leverkusen and Ajax."

The reporter then added: "It remains to be seen whether Arsenal will move in January. Important to note, they never bid (or seriously considered it) in the summer. Lots of top clubs put off by Shakhtar's €50m+ valuation, and that will only rise as things stand."

Jacobs has also claimed that the player is prepared to listen to offers from other clubs and feels like January would be the right time for him to seal a transfer.

Miguel Almiron upgrade

Ashworth must now work hard to beat off the competition for Mudryk's signature as he could be a big upgrade on Miguel Almiron for Newcastle.

The Ukraine international is a talented, young, winger who has shown plenty of signs of promise for Shakhtar since the start of last season, with Sporting director Darijo Srna dubbing him a "serious talent."

In 14 league matches, the 21-year-old has produced two goals and eight assists from out wide and this shows that he is a creative player who can consistently tee up his teammates in front of goal.

The magician has also caught the eye in the Champions League this season. He has scored two and assisted two in two group stage matches for Shakhtar so far, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.5 and completing four dribbles.

Almiron, meanwhile, has scored just one goal and failed to register a single assist in seven Premier League starts in 2022/23. This comes after he managed one goal and zero assists in 19 starts (30 appearances) last term.

The 28-year-old has left a lot to be desired in the final third as he has struggled to make an impact at the top end of the pitch from a wide position. His goalscoring record is unimpressive and his creativity is almost non-existent with zero assists to his name since the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

He is seven years older than Mudryk and has half as many goal contributions (two) in his last 37 Premier League appearances as the Ukrainian gem has in two Champions League outings (four).

The Shakhtar wizard could offer far more than Almiron in front of goal and has the potential to develop and hone his skills with more experience, at the age of 21. Therefore, he could be an upgrade on the Paraguay international and that is why the Magpies must swoop for him in January.