Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea have all been linked with Georgiy Sudakov.
Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Serhiy Palkin has insisted that they will not lose Georgiy Sudakov on the cheap this summer.
Sudakov enjoyed a fine 2023-24 season, scoring 10 goals and recording six assists in 34 games as Shakhtar claimed the Ukrainian league and cup double.
The midfielder will now represent Ukraine at the European Championships in Germany and is expected to play a pivotal role. He’s already reportedly caught the eye of several clubs, with the Daily Mail reporting last month that Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea have been tracking his progress.
Palkin believes that an impressive Euros campaign will undoubtedly see clubs step up their interest in Sadakov, who was the subject of a bid from Napoli but it was rebuffed.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Palkin said: “If he plays well at the Euros, definitely he will move. But even without the Euros, a lot of clubs will want him. If you look at the position he plays, in the world there are maybe five players of his level.
“The last offer we had for Sudakov was €40 million (£33.84 million) plus bonuses from Napoli, but we refused it. We will definitely not sell him for less than €50 million (£42.3 million). For me, it is difficult to tell who will come next, but definitely they will come.”
Liverpool are said to be in the market for a midfielder in the summer transfer window – although perhaps not one of Sudakov’s ilk. Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch last summer for a combined £149 million and can also play in the No.8 role.
However, the Reds lack defensive options. Wataru Endo was also brought in from Stuttgart for £16.3 million yet he is the only senior player who can screen the defence. Endo is 31 and another long-term solution is on the wish list. Stefan Bajcetic is on the books but the 19-year-old missed the majority of the 2023-24 campaign because of injury.
Atalanta’s Ederson is one of the players who have been linked with a switch to Anfield.
