Serie A side Roma are ‘pressing’ to sign Arsenal’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan and could get him in a deal that sees Justin Kluivert go the other way.
That’s the latest from Gazzetta Dello Sport today, who provide an update on the developing transfer saga involving the two clubs.
Mkhitaryan has spent this season on loan at Roma after finding himself out of favour under previous Arsenal manager Unai Emery.
His year at the club has largely been disrupted by injury, never mind the Coronavirus, but they are keen to keep him and have been working on a deal for several months.
Gazzetta report that is very much on the cards, with the two clubs talking about it ‘for a few days’ as they look to ‘get out of a deal happily’.
Initially, they were discussing a second loan deal for Mkhitaryan, which would have involved the forward signing a new deal at Arsenal as his contract expires next year, but that has been pushed to one side.
Instead, the idea now is that Roma pay €12-14m for a permanent deal for the Armenian, after selling Kluivert to Arsenal for €35-40m.
It’s explained the Gunners are ‘ready to pay’ that for the 21-year-old Dutchman, who has struggled in Rome since a £15.5m move from Ajax in 2018.
Super-agent Mino Raiola, who represents both players, is ‘orchestrating’ the whole affair with it felt the deal could be a good one for all involved.
Arsenal would get a player they like and get rid of one they don’t, while Roma would make a ‘capital gain’ of around €20m.
