Rohan Sengupta
Borussia Dortmund have made contact with Manchester United playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan over a potential transfer. The Armenian has fallen out of favour under Jose Mourinho, having struggled to apply his game under the manager’s approach.
Dortmund are eager to end Mkhitaryan’s struggles at United, with the Bundesliga club expressing an interest in bringing the playmaker back to his old club, according to German outlet Ruhr Nachrichten (h/t Express).
The report adds Dortmund have ‘intensified’ their contact with Mkhitaryan and that they’re planning to offer an escape route for the midfielder.
After a mixed debut campaign in English football, Mkhitaryan started this season in excellent form with 5 assists in the opening 3 Premier League games but his performances dipped markedly over the Autumn and he has struggled to regain his place in the team.
Mourinho publicly slated the Armenian attacking midfielder, accusing him of “disappearing”. Reports of a disagreement between Mourinho and Mkhitaryan emerged in December, citing that the pair rowed at the club’s Carrington training complex after the midfielder had been singled out for criticism in front of the rest of the first-team squad.
The disagreement was said to have continued into the corridors outside an analysis suite, with Mourinho understood to have been angered by Mkhitaryan’s failure to track back during a substitute appearance against Brighton last month.
However, Mkhitaryan did start Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Southampton on December 30 but was an unused substitute in Monday’s 2-0 win over Everton. The 28-year-old’s struggles at Old Trafford have led to an interest from abroad.
Dortmund have constantly insisted that they lack the funds to make the Mkhitaryan reunion happen, but it now seems like the deal could just happen – if two demands are met.
The first issue is Man United’s transfer fee demands. The report confirms that the English giants have to lower their demands if a deal with Dortmund is to happen. Second, Mkhitaryan will also need to lower his financial demands to return to the Signal Iduna Park. The Armenian is reportedly earning £11.1million a season at United and that is unaffordable as far as Dortmund are concerned.
While Dortmund have so far shown strongest interest, Inter Milan are also thought to be sniffing around. It is understood United would now be willing to let him go for the right deal, with Mourinho announcing recently that every player has a price.
What’s your take on Mkhitaryan? Should we hang on to the Armenian?
One Comment