Arsenal Transfer News: Major Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Mesut Ozil Rumours Emerge

Arsenal are reportedly "heading the queue" to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan and could sell Mesut Ozil in order to fund the deal.

According to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb (via the Daily Star's Rhys Turrell), the Gunners look set to beat Chelsea and Juventus to Mkhitaryan's signature and will offer him a deal worth nearly £100,000 a week.

The report also included the fee Arsenal will pay for the 27-year-old Armenian, £23 million, a potential bargain for a player of his quality.

However, Ozil may still reportedly be sold to fund the deal, despite the fact that Arsenal could easily afford to pay £23 million without having to sell anyone, let alone their key playmaker.

However, Mkhitaryan's arrival may necessitate the sale of Ozil may not for financial reasons, but because they fill similar roles.

And, arguably, Mkhitaryan is the more effective player—see some of his highlights of the season below:

Ozil had a brilliant first half of 2015-16, reaching 16 Premier League assists before the turn of the year, but he has added only two more in 2016, and his goal tally in the English top flight is just six, per WhoScored.com.

Mkhitaryan, meanwhile, has been similarly effective in setting up goals, but he has also been much more prolific than Ozil in netting himself, per Bundesliga expert Stefan Bienkowski:

Though the pair could undoubtedly play in the same side, with Mkhitaryan on the right flank, Ozil in the No. 10 role and Alexis Sanchez on the left, the German playmaker may want to depart the Emirates if the former Shakhtar Donetsk player arrives.

He has been non-committal about his Gunners future recently and said that he is in no rush to pen a new deal at the club, per Darren Lewis in the Mirror: "There's no hurry. I have two years left on my contract. We'll see how it goes at the end of the season."

After another season of underperforming, Arsenal need to make some changes to their squad, and Ozil, 27, may be one of the players on the way out despite his fine 2015-16 campaign.

Arsenal bought him from Real Madrid for £42.5 million in 2013 and could likely recoup most or all of that money if they were to sell him in the summer, as he remains a top-quality player. 

In turn, they could then sign Mkhitaryan and still afford to invest further in key areas like the strike department and defensive midfield.

The arrival of Mkhitaryan would undoubtedly soften the blow of Ozil leaving, as he has arguably been the best player in the Bundesliga this season, per German football writer Cristian Nyari:

"

Henrikh Mkhitaryan the Bundesliga Player of the Season? Wouldn't be opposed. Incredible.

— Cristian Nyari (@CrisNyari) April 23, 2016"

Indeed, he could be just the man the Gunners need to maintain a genuine title challenge next season, and at £23 million, he should be worth every penny.