Brentford will have to up the ante if they want to lure Georgiy Sudakov to the Gtech Community Stadium as fellow admirers Napoli have entered discussions over winning the race for the Shakhtar Donetsk star ahead of the summer transfer window, GIVEMESPORT sources have exclusively revealed on the latest episode of our Market Madness podcast.

Bees boss Thomas Frank showed plenty of ambition ahead of the campaign getting underway, with Igor Thiago becoming the most expensive acquisition in the west Londoners' history thanks to completing a £30million switch from Club Brugge, and plans have been made to negotiate further eye-catching deals in the coming months.

Bees Face Stiff Competition to Land Sudakov

Fellow suitors Napoli have already entered direct discussions

Brentford want to sign Sudakov after pinpointing him as a potential recruit when making plans to bolster their squad during the summer transfer window, according to GMS sources, but they are trailing Napoli in their pursuit as the Serie A title-chasers have already entered direct talks with Shakhtar Donetsk over a potential deal.

The attacking midfielder's current employers have previously shown a willingness to sanction moves to the Premier League, with Mykhailo Mudryk joining Chelsea in a switch worth £88.5million in January 2023, and the Bees have been contemplating whether to head to the negotiating table.

GMS sources have been informed that Napoli have opened discussions with Shakhtar Donetsk over landing Sudakov, having retained their desire to reach an agreement despite having a bid turned down less than 12 months ago, but a price tag in the region of £52million has remained a stumbling block.

The Italian heavyweights value the 22-year-old closer to £35million and will have money to spend in the summer, thanks to sanctioning the mid-season departure of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint-Germain for £59million, but Brentford are continuing to keep tabs on his situation.

Shakhtar Donetsk chief executive Sergei Palkin has exclusively told GMS:

"We are now in negotiations, in respect of Sudakov. I cannot announce anything about amounts because we still have negotiations. I believe we will close this deal and it will be a good financial deal for us. He is a really top player. He is one of the best in the world in his position. If we do not finalise the deal with the current club, another one will definitely arrive. I am not worried about Sudakov going."

Napoli are directly engaging with Shakhtar Donetsk, despite also having Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho on their radar, and GMS sources have been told that there is an expectation that he will embark on a fresh challenge when the transfer window reopens as Brentford also consider opening direct talks.

All statistics courtesy of Sofascore - correct as of 21/04/2025

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