Not following this argument:
1. This is an article quoting the Shaktar boss. Of course he is going to spin the saga his way.
2. You say we bungled the deal, yet we are supposed to criticise Arsenal for trying to use all means at their disposal (short of simply bending over and paying an over valuation at the outset) to secure the signing (and let's face it every other transfer involves informal approaches to players). This seems to me to face 2 ways.
3. I think it's naive to believe that approaching the player first was the reason we didn't get the Mudryk signing. It was about the money. Of course it was. And I do not equate failing to pay a stupid valuation figure with bungling the deal.
4. I haven't seen anyone claim that Arsenal did things the 'right' way (whatever that is supposed to mean). People have said that it was right not to be pushed over a red line when it came to money paid up front for the player. There's a difference.