Both Arsenal and Chelsea wanted to sign the Ukrainian from Shakhtar Donetsk that winter, with Chelsea eventually winning the race by agreeing a fee that could rise to £88 million, including £26 million in performance-related add-ons.
Srna, the former Croatia international who remains in his role at Shakhtar today, handled the Chelsea side of negotiations personally, while general director Serhiy Palkin dealt with Arsenal. Speaking on Denys Boyko's podcast, Srna revealed that Mudryk had been swayed more by his conversation with Mikel Arteta than by Chelsea's approach.
"Misha talked to Arteta. I talked to the Chelsea coach. And, probably, at that moment he liked Arteta more," Srna said. "But it is the club that decides whether to sell a player or not. We told him that the club has found a common language with Chelsea.
"And then you decide for yourself: do you want to move or not? Either you go to Chelsea, or Arsenal offers the same conditions, or you stay at Shakhtar."
Ultimately, it was Chelsea's superior financial offer to Shakhtar itself, rather than Mudryk's personal preference, that decided the deal.
"Chelsea generally made a much better offer to Shakhtar than Arsenal. We can discuss it, but we cannot accept a worse offer than the one we have," Srna said.
Arsenal fans were left furious at the time over the hijacked transfer, with one supporter later arrested for shining a laser pen in Mudryk's eyes during a match between the two clubs.
Mudryk endured a difficult spell in west London, struggling for consistent end product, and his time at Chelsea was further complicated when he was suspended in December 2024 after meldonium, a banned substance, was found in a sample given on international duty with Ukraine. He successfully appealed a four-year doping ban earlier this year and joined Tottenham on loan over the summer.
After making his Spurs debut in a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest this month, Mudryk suffered a training injury that is set to keep him out for several weeks, with head coach Roberto De Zerbi hopeful of having him available again by the time of the first north London derby in December. Spurs hold an option to sign the 25-year-old permanently for £75 million.