Manchester United and Henrikh Mkhitaryan has turned into something of a saga over a relatively short period of time. Much of that is down to the words of the player’s agent, Mino Raiola, who has made no secret of a desire to move to the club.
Micki, as Mkhitaryan is helpfully referred to in Germany, has a contract with Borussia Dortmund which ends in June 2017, putting the German club under some pressure.
Dortmund seem to have a particular skill for letting their best players get toward the end of their contracts and this is another case to add to that of Robert Lewandowski and Ilkay Gundogan.
Micki and Raiola have been playing hardball over a contract renewal, and Dortmund have put their foot down and blocked a move, so things aren’t looking great. Either Micki renews, Dortmund sell, or he runs down the final year of his contract.
Everything is still possible and it’s worth noting that Gundogan was considered gone last summer, and Dortmund said so themselves, before he signed a one year extension and stayed for a further season.
German newspaper Bild pick up claims from England of a second Manchester United bid for Micki, of around €36m. Whilst they don’t think that’s enough, Bild say they’ve learned that €40m may be the amount that makes Dortmund sell… and that’s just €4m more.
If Manchester United interest has ever been as present as claimed, then that’s a quite straightforward scenario. Pay €40m, give Dortmund a chance to say they couldn’t turn the money down, and… et voila.
Bild say if that amount is offered, and a deal happens, Dortmund could replace Micki with someone like Andre Schurrle or Mario Gotze, and probably still have money left over.
