Manchester United Transfer News: Henrikh Mkhitaryan Decision Soon, Fresh Rumours

Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke has revealed a decision on the future of Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be made before the end of the week, as the Armenian's move to Manchester United seems to grow more likely by the day.

Speaking to Kicker (h/t ESPN FC's Stephan Uersfeld), Watzke said the club wants to resolve the situation before the start of pre-season on July 4:

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We will assess his situation this week. We not only need to discuss it with [sporting director] Michael Zorc and [coach] Thomas Tuchel, but also with the bodies. It is a difficult decision. ...

There are three perspectives with every transfer: An economical, a strategic and a sporting. If the economical side becomes overwhelming it might happen that you make a different decision in the end.

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Mkhitaryan has one year left on his deal and has made no secret of his desire to move to Old Trafford this summer. According to Sky Sports (h/t Uersfeld), the two clubs have already agreed to a £26.3 million transfer fee, and there are reports he's set to undergo a medical soon:

Dortmund have already sold Mats Hummels and Ilkay Gundogan to Bayern Munich and Manchester City respectively this summer, and both players found themselves in a similar situation to Mkhitaryan, with one year left on their contracts.

Per Jeremy Cross of the Daily Star, BVB had no intention of giving in to Mkhitaryan's demands until United came up with a significant fee, and the quoted price of £26.3 million is steep for a player who could sign a pre-contract agreement in January.

Mkhitaryan is a special talent, however, and United's desire to bring him into the fold during the summer is understandable. Here's a look at some of his highlights:

The attacking midfielder scored 11 goals and added 15 assists in the Bundesliga last year, making good on his impressive potential under new manager Thomas Tuchel. He formed a deadly combination with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Marco Reus, and BVB's desire to keep the three together for one more title push made sense.

Die Schwarzgelben have a reputation for ensuring contracts are seen through rather than cashing in on players, evidenced by star striker Robert Lewandowski's move to hated rivals Bayern Munich on a free transfer in 2014.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

The sale of Mkhitaryan will likely plunge Dortmund into a rebuild, as the team has countered the losses of Hummels and Gundogan by investing in talents such as Marc Bartra, Emre Mor and Ousmane Dembele. BVB's future looks bright, but a title challenge in 2016-17 seems unlikely.

For United, Mkhitaryan would add some much-needed creativity and scoring potential to the attack, as he's expected to slide in on the right wing and show his remarkable qualities immediately.

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