Star warned against Arsenal or Liverpool move, could be worth £200m in the future

Premier League giants Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester City – to name but four – are in hot pursuit of one of the rising stars of Eastern Europe.

But is he really ready for such a switch?

Or would a man who only celebrated his 22nd birthday a few weeks ago be better served balancing on a stepping stone before attempting to jump from one side of the lake to another?

TBR understands that Liverpool and Tottenham watched Georgiy Sudakov as Shakhtar Donetsk threw away a 2-0 lead against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League recently. Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have all made enquiries over the last 18 months or so too.

Now, of course, the last player to make a big-money switch from Shakhtar to England – a certain Mykhaylo Mudryk – has found life exceedingly difficult. There are understandable concerns about Georgiy Sudakov suffering the same fate as Chelsea’s £62 million benchwarmer.

Yuri Seleznyov feels that Sudakov would be better served following in the footsteps of another Ukraine international. One who is enjoying a far happier time on UK soil.

Arsenal and Tottenham target Georgiy Sudakov given transfer advice

Ilya Zabarnyi is now one of the first names on the team-sheet at Bournemouth, and one of the most promising young defenders in the league, two years after moving to the South Coast from Dynamo Kiev.

“In my opinion, football players [coming out of Ukraine] cannot cost that much money. Neither 100, nor 70, nor 60 million,” Seleznyov, who spent three years at Shakhtar in the 1990s, tells Sport UA.

“You can look at other transfers that are made in Europe. Take, for example, Arda Guler at Real Madrid. He did not cost that much money. And, by the way, this guy is a player for the Turkish national team.

“In my opinion, Sudakov should go abroad and prove himself there. And then [if he impresses, a bigger club] will buy him even for 100 or 200 million!

“A recent example is Zabarnyi,” Seleznyov adds. “He went to Bournemouth, didn’t play there [at the start], and [now] everyone is running after him.

“He plays confidently for the Ukrainian national team, is making progress, and has reached a good level in a modest English club. This is an indicator [of what Sudakov can do].”

Ilya Zabarnyi now a Chelsea target as Sudakov aims for England

TBR have been told that Chelsea watched Zabarnyi as Bournemouth beat Tottenham 1-0 a fortnight ago. The Cherries paid £24 million for the 22-year-old, and will likely now demand a far higher sum.

This, Seleznyov feels, is the path Sudakov should take. A safer, smaller step up the ladder, rather than a leap of faith which could end with his reputation splattered over the pavement.

Sudakov – the Ukraine international idolises Kevin de Bruyne – is keen on a move to English football. He feels his style of play, supremely technical and with an eye for a cutting pass, is best suited to the Premier League or Spain’s La Liga.

Sudakov’s agent has also confirmed Premier League interest this month, while Shakhtar CEO Sergei Palkin claims Manchester City are watching closely.