Man Utd See Opening £19m Bid For Arsenal & Chelsea Target Rejected

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, Man Utd table a bid for Henrikh Mkhitaryan…..

Manchester United have seen an opening £19m bid for Arsenal and Chelsea target Henrikh Mkhitaryan rejected with Borussia Dortmund insisting they won’t cash-in this summer, according to the Mirror.

Mkhitaryan has just one year left on his contract and Dortmund have confirmed that the attacker has decided not to sign an extension after negotiations over a new deal broke down.

The Armenian international has just come off the back of a sensational season that saw him score 23 goals and provide an incredible 32 assists in all competitions, making him one of the most dangerous players in world football.

It’s therefore easy to understand why Mkhitaryan has been attracting interest with the Mirror claiming that Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd have all been showing a keen interest in luring the player to the Premier League this summer.

It looks as though United have now stolen a march on their rivals as the newspaper suggests that Jose Mourinho’s side have tabled an opening £19 million offer with his agent recently revealing that Mkhitaryan wanted to move to Old Trafford.

Mino Raiola is quoted as saying by the Mirror:

“Manchester United is a unique opportunity. Micki want to go there. Micki has for months maintained that he may leave the club this summer.

“Dortmund presented an official offer which was rejected, but now the BVB bosses fear heir own fans.

“Suddenly, they tell Micki, that he should go next season on a free transfer. This is very bad management.”

Mourinho is expected to be busy in the transfer market this summer rebuilding the squad he’s inherited from Louis van Gaal and Mkhitaryan would add a much-needed threat to their attack – which managed to score just 49 league goals last season.

However, it looks as though any proposed move may have to wait as Dortmund chief executive Hanz-Joachim Watzke has been quoted in the Mirror as saying that despite Mkhitaryan refusing to sign an extension, the club have decided to hold him to the final year of his contract.

It’s understood the Bundesliga club are reluctant to lose another key player have already seen Mats Hummels join Bayern Munich while Ilkay Gundogan has joined Manchester City, so Dortmund are prepared to lose Mkhitaryan for nothing in 12 months time rather than cash-in this summer.

“We have been negotiating with Henrikh Mkhitaryan for four months for him to extend his contract with us.” Watzke is quoted as saying by the Mirror

“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.”

It’s certainly a bold decision by Dortmund if they do end up forcing Mkhitaryan to remain at the club as they’d be turning their back on a sizeable transfer fee, but I have a feeling the likes of United, Arsenal and Chelsea won’t give up without a fight.

READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Chelsea transfer news | Man Utd transfer news

Mkhitaryan would be a sensational signing for any of the clubs and I think we’ll see all three test Dortmund’s resolve with further bids throughout the summer. Only time will tell whether the German outfit will be able to resist but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Armenian playmaker plying his trade in the Premier League next season.