Liverpool leading race to sign Shakhtar Donetsk's Georgiy Sudakov?

Liverpool are reportedly leading the race to sign Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Georgiy Sudakov ahead of the summer transfer window.

The 21-year-old, an academy product of Shakhtar, has developed into a star player for the Ukrainian outfit since making his professional debut in October 2020.

Sudakov elevated his game to new heights in the 2022-23 season after contributing with five goals and eight assists in 29 Ukrainian Premier League games to help Shakhtar win the title.

This term, Sudakov has chipped in with five goals and two assists in 24 appearances across all competitions, while he also scored his first international goal for Ukraine in a Euro 2024 qualifier against North Macedonia in October.

Amid reported interest in his services, Shakhtar successfully tied Sudakov down to a new long-term contract last month that expires at the end of 2028.

However, that has not stopped the rumour mill from linking the highly-rated midfielder with a big-money exit in the summer, with a number of top European clubs believed to hold an interest.

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Premier League trio Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea have all been credited with an interest, as have the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Napoli.

A possible move to Liverpool has also been mooted for Sudakov, and according to Fichajes, the Reds are "very close" to winning the race for his signature.

Liverpool are allegedly keen to strengthen their options in midfield this summer, with Sudakov among their top targets ahead of the new season.

The Premier League is said to be a 'tempting destination' for Sudakov, who has aspirations of plying his trade in one of the top European leagues in the near future.

Having only just tied Sudakov down to a new deal, Shakhtar are under no pressure to cash in on the youngster, who has had a new release clause set at a whopping €150m (£128.1m).

Liverpool's interest in Sudakov comes at a time when Thiago Alcantara is facing an uncertain future at the club, with the 32-year-old Spaniard – who has been plagued with injuries throughout this season – set to see his contract expire in June.