Arsenal
Agent Claims 23-Goal Arsenal & Chelsea Target Wants To Join Manchester United
Arsenal and Chelsea appear to have received a blow as the agent of a 23-goal target has claimed the player wants to join Manchester United this summer.
The opening of the summer transfer window is fast approaching so we’ll bring you all the latest transfer rumours and gossip from around the globe. Today, more on the future of Henrikh Mkhitaryan….
The agent of Arsenal and Chelsea target Henrikh Mkhitaryan claims the playmaker wants to join Manchester United but they face a tough time convincing Borussia Dortmund to cash-in this summer, according to the Mirror.
Mkhitaryan’s future has been a hot topic for discussion in recent weeks as he’s got just one year remaining on his current deal with Dortmund and talks over an extension have broken down.
The 27-year-old is one of the most dangerous attackers in European football and reinforced that status after scoring 23 goals and providing an incredible 32 assist in all competitions last season.
This sensational form has attracted interest from the Premier League with the Mirror claiming that Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have all shown a keen interest in luring the attacker to England this summer.
Arsene Wenger has already snapped-up midfielder Granit Xhaka but the Gunners boss may need reinforcements in attack as Theo Walcott is being tipped to leave after a disappointing campaign and Mkhitaryan would be a superb replacement.
Incoming Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is also expected to be busy in the transfer market rebuilding the Blues squad after a disastrous season last year and the Italian tactician could certainly have done with a creative talent like Mkhitaryan in his squad.
However, it looks like the London duo have received a major blow in their pursuit of the Armenian international as the players agent Mino Raiola has been quoted by the Mirror as saying that he wants to join Man Utd.
“Manchester United is a unique opportunity. Micki wants to go there.”
Mourinho has already started his rebuilding job at United having splashed out on defender Eric Bailly but the Portuguese coach is expected to also strengthen his attack and Mkhitaryan would be a superb piece of business.
However, any potential deal is still going to be difficult as while Dortmund chief executive Hanz-Joachim Watzke has now confirmed that Mkhitaryan won’t be signing an extension, he says the club have decided to hold him to his final year of his deal and let him leave for nothing next summer.
Watzke is quoted by the Guardian as saying:
“We have been negotiating with Henrikh Mkhitaryan for four months for him to extend his contract with us.
“Now we know that it is not extended, it was never our commitment that Mkhitaryan may leave us prematurely.
We have intensely discussed the question of an early transfer in all club bodies and came to the conclusion that Mkhitaryan will stay in Dortmund next season.”
This hasn’t gone down well with Mkhitaryan’s agent, with Raiola slamming Dortmund’s decision as ‘bad management’.
“Micki has for months maintained that he may leave the club this summer.” Raiola is quoted as saying by the Mirror.
“Dortmund presented an official offer which was rejected, but now the Dortmund bosses fear of their own fans.
“Suddenly, they tell Micki, that he should go next season on a free transfer. This is very bad management.”
So one of this summers transfer sagas is hotting up nicely and it’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out. It would be a bold decision by Dortmund to turn their back on around £20m and force an unhappy player to see-out the final year of his deal only to lose him for nothing next summer.
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I’m sure the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea won’t give up without a fight as Mkhitaryan would be a sensational signing but if Dortmund are persuaded to cash-in on the attacker, it looks like Man Utd are in pole position to secure his signature.
