Borussia Dortmund have long been great nurturers and charmers of fabulous footballers, and it seems Henrikh Mkhitaryan is the latest star of theirs to draw interest from plenty of money-laden suitors.
A creative player who likes to score goals as much as he likes to serve chances on plates for his team-mates, the Armenia international is hot property in the world of football right now, and after serving up 18 goals and 20 assists across all competitions he has earned the right to be much sought after. Following a tremendous season with Die Schwarzgelben, the 27-year-old looks set to fly the coop he has called home since 2013 at some point in the next 12 months.
It’s unclear where he’ll wind up, but it really does look like he is headed for the Dortmund exit door to begin the next chapter in his career as his contract is winding down. He’ll either be available at a discount price next year if he keeps rejecting new contracts or an impatient club will stump up the cash this summer.
So, let’s take a look at five clubs who would suit him.
Arsenal
If rumours are to be believed then Arsenal are the frontrunners to secure the Armenia captain’s services.
Arsene Wenger is reportedly keen to bring him on board to complement the apparently impending arrival of Granit Xhaka from Borussia Monchengladbach, and despite plenty of other teams vying to beat the Gunners to it, it appears as though Wenger has something the rest of these clubs do not; Mkhitaryan’s affections.
As reported by the Sun (h/t the Daily Star), the current Dormund man is something of an Arsenal fan and has expressed his desire to join the north Londoners ahead of anybody else, to his family. It might not be a cut and dry signal, but it does at least give the fans hope that he is seriously considering teaming up with the 2015/16 Premier League runners-up.
Mkhitaryan is precisely the sort of player we are all used to seeing in the red and white of the “Gooners” – he’s lithe, creative, full of energy and he has the sort of lazer vision the manager loves to see being put to expert effect. Imagining him kitted out in their strip is not a difficult thing to do, but whether or not Arsenal will stump up the necessary cash to prise him away is perhaps not so easy.
Dare they wait ‘til 2017 to join the long queue and try and get him for free?
Chelsea
It’s going to be all stations go at Stamford Bridge over the next few months as incoming new boss Antonio Conte will look to put his stamp firmly all over the Chelsea side.
The Blues offered up a miserable defence of their 2014/15 English title crown, but the prospect of managerial stability and reform has many fans dreaming of future glories once more, and the purchase of Mkhitaryan from one of Bundesliga’s best-loved teams would certainly provide them with a boost in that regard.
There have been rumours swirling around that the Pensioners can upset Arsenal’s hopes of bringing him on board with a larger transfer fee. For now, it’s all speculation. One thing that is certain, however, is that it will surely take more than a big cheque to bring him on board soon because Chelsea are a club in transition and without UEFA Champions League football to look forward to next season, it is going to be a bigger task to attract guys of Mkhitaryan’s quality.
Considering the type of go-getter the Armenian is, he would obviously work very well at the club. The former champions were very poor in creating opportunities and danger around the opposition 18-yard box for much of the season, and although they improved somewhat under Guus Hiddink, they will surely be attracted by the fact Mkhitaryan created at least 12 more chances than any other player in the Bundesliga 2015/16 season, per WhoScored.
Tottenham Hotspur
The jokes and the memes didn’t take long to circulate as countless people poked fun at Tottenham Hotspur’s implosion in the closing stages of the season but behind all of that it was clear that Spurs had enjoyed a marvelous campaign.
Still, it would be naive for them to assume they have the perfect squad in place because every team will always have room to improve, and Mkhitaryan could easily slot into the equation. A versatile player, he can play almost anywhere across the midfield, though he works best in an advanced role either as a central playmaker or even out wide, so that edge to his game automatically makes him a useful asset to have for a team looking to win silverware. Plus, he's pacey and can hold his own in a tussle for possession.
There hasn’t been a whole lot of news linking him to the Lilywhites, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be some in dribs and drabs over the next few weeks and months. After all, they have seen what he can do up close when the pair dueled in the Europa League.
There is little question that Mkhitaryan would work very well alongside some of the Spurs players. Working in rotation with Erik Lamela, Son Heung-min and Christian Eriksen while sitting behind the increasingly clinical Harry Kane would be something most fans of the club would relish seeing. He could turn out to be the added element of ingenuity they crave.
Juventus
The Italian Serie A champions managed to put a disastrous start of just three wins from their opening 10 league matches behind them to finish top by a margin of nine points, while also taking home the Coppa Italia trophy thanks to a slender 1-0 victory against AC Milan in the final.
Boasting the likes of Paul Pogba, Paulo Dybala, Juan Cuadrado and plenty more exceptional stars, the Bianconeri have a really strong squad but if they really want to go and get their hands on the biggest prize in club football – the UCL - then they’ll have to go after players of Mkhitaryan’s ilk.
Indeed, some sources have the Old Lady down as an interested party and the player’s agent Mino Raiola has told Gazzetta dello Sport (h/t Goal) that he would not be put off by the thought of wearing the black and white of Juve and playing under manager Massimiliano Allegri.
All inklings of him getting the sack are laughable now, and with the 48-year-old’s future as far from in question as possible, he might well be tempted to splash the cash – after all he’s earned the club the necessary funds to do so after a thrilling season. Your move, Allegri.
Liverpool
Liverpool really respect Mkhitaryan. It's not a very well guarded secret. On the contrary, you might even go so far as to say that, well...it’s a fact.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has admitted his admiration for the clever midfielder in the recent past, and this season’s beaten Europa League finalists have been linked with the former Shakhtar Donetsk man, so it's not beyond the realm of possibility that space has already been set aside in the chequebook for a reunion of two true Borussen.
There is real hope that the “Normal One” can adorn their trophy cabinet with some accolades next season and it’s easy to see why. With Brendan Rodgers’ squad, Klopp brought Liverpool to two cup finals, has lost only three times at home since his arrival and has revitalised the club with passion and vivacity.
However, with Mario Gotze seemingly snubbing Liverpool (according to his father) and Granit Xhaka’s move to Arsenal all but completed, the Pool are quickly running out of desirable options to help give them the boost they need to properly compete as well as allowing the manager to go one step closer to creating his Merseyside gesamtkunstwerk.
That might just be enough to force their hand quicker than most.
