Manchester United Transfer News: Huge Henrikh Mkhitaryan Bid Made, Fresh Rumours

Manchester United have improved their offer for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan to £26 million. 

That’s according to Simon Jones of the Daily Mail, who noted the Red Devils have already had a bid of £19.3 million rejected for the the 27-year-old.

Mkhitaryan has just one year left on his contract at Westfalenstadion and could leave on a free transfer next summer should BVB opt not to cash in, and the Bundesliga side seem to want to keep hold of their star man.

“Mkhitaryan and his agent Mino Raiola are keen to push a move through and want Dortmund to consider the sale,” added Jones.

Here is a look at the kind of quality Mkhitaryan would bring to Old Trafford:

Raiola revealed in a recent interview with Bild (h/t Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News) the Red Devils are Mkhitaryan’s “dream club” despite interest from Arsenal.

A sum of £26 million may seem a lot for a player who would be available for nothing in 12 months' time. But it’s easy to see why the Red Devils would be intent to bring in a star like Mkhitaryan immediately, as he would offer a refreshed creative edge to the way in which the team plays. 

For United manager Jose Mourinho, he’d arguably be the ideal midfield schemer. The Armenia international is versatile, robust and someone who seems to have an appetite for the defensive side of the game too.

As these numbers from WhoScored.com illustrate, it’s with the ball at his feet when the 27-year-old excels most, though:

Dortmund have been admirable in their stance on selling players for a long time, only choosing to move them on when a significant asking price is met or, in the case of Robert Lewandowski, not selling them at all.

Additionally, in Ilkay Gundogan and Mats Hummels, manager Thomas Tuchel has already lost two key parts of his team’s spine for next season. They will not want to lose a third in Mkhitaryan, and as such, United should prepare themselves for some tough negotiations.

United to Join Marek Hamsik Pursuit

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According to the Sun (h/t Jamie Anderson of the Daily Star), Manchester United have joined Chelsea and Liverpool in the pursuit of Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik.

The 28-year-old has starred for Slovakia at the UEFA European Championship on the back of a fine season for his club and is attracting interest from a host of Premier League sides.

While Liverpool are said to be leading the pursuit of the player, the Red Devils and the Blues are also reported to be in the frame.

The brilliant midfield play of Hamsik in France has thrust his talents into the limelight, but he’s been a star for Napoli for a long time. Here is a look at some of his best moments from the previous Serie A season:

As noted by Rory Smith of the Times, as well as being an extremely gifted footballer, Hamsik is also a hard worker:

Hamsik is adaptable. When his team is on the front foot, he can drive at defenders, find key passes and score goals from a variety of positions. But he’s also shown he can be useful in deeper positions, capable of relieving pressure with pinpoint long passes and breaking up play with his dynamism off the ball.

United would certainly benefit from having a player like Hamsik around, although it seems they have enough options in the attacking-midfield positions already, especially if Mkhitaryan were drafted in.

The Slovakia star would also likely be an expensive acquisition, and that kind of money could be utilised by Mourinho in other areas of his squad.