Liverpool Transfer News: Henrikh Mkhitaryan Appears to Be Slipping Away

With Champions League runner-up Borussia Dortmund entering the sweepstakes for Shakhtar Donetsk star Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Liverpool all of a sudden has competition for the 24-year-old.

Dortmund recently put in a £19.5 million bid for Mkhitaryan, according to The Sun. Although the offer was rejected by Shakhtar, it demonstrates Dortmund is serious about landing the Armenian.

Mkhitaryan set a Ukrainian-league record with 25 goals last season, demonstrating just how dangerous he can be on the pitch. Liverpool was long thought to be the favorite to land Mkhitaryan, but Dortmund's success last season has made the club a real contender for the midfielder.

Keep in mind, Mkhitaryan scored 25 goals in just 28 games last season. That further exemplifies what he can do for a club. Shakhtar is right to ask for the reported £25 million, but perhaps the club will scale it back a bit if Dortmund increases its offer or Mkhitaryan expresses a strong desire to leave.

Liverpool finished seventh in the Premier League last season. While the club registered the fourth-most goals in the EPL, it needs all the help it can get if it expects to seriously contend for a Premier League title moving forward, or the top four for that matter.

Liverpool has posted two second-place finishes and three third-place finishes in the Premier League since the 1999-00 campaign. The Reds haven't placed in the top three in the past four seasons.

Mkhitaryan obviously would mean much more to Liverpool than Dortmund, but sometimes the rich get richer. Right now, you have to think Mkhitaryan would rather move to Dortmund than Liverpool, especially after the kind of season he had.

It's looking like Liverpool may see Mkhitaryan slip through its fingers this summer, or have to pay a ridiculous amount to pry the midfielder away from Shakhtar.

Such is the life of a club that has yet to win the title in the Premier League era.