Manchester United Transfer News: Henrikh Mkhitaryan Fee Increased, Fresh Rumours

Manchester United will reportedly pay €42.5 million (£35.2 million) to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan this summer.

As stated by Stephan Uersfeld of ESPN FC, Bild, Kicker and Ruhr Nachrichten have all noted the Red Devils will pay the sum aforementioned for the Armenia international, with Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke also having revealed that the club have “significantly improved their offer.”

It’s said the new bid amounts to almost double the initial €24 million (£19.9 million) offer the Red Devils made to try to land Mkhitaryan.

Given the player has just one year remaining on his contract with Dortmund, it’s a lot of money to pay, per Bleacher Report’s Clark Whitney:

But as one of the wealthiest football clubs in the world, it’s money the Red Devils can afford, and provided the BVB star can reproduce these standards at Old Trafford next term, there won’t be many denying that it’s cash well spent:

Any transfer is a gamble, and those who have followed Mkhitaryan’s career may point to some worrying trends. Indeed, after making a big-money move from Shakhtar Donetsk to Dortmund, it did take the Armenia skipper a long time to settle, only showing his very best form once Thomas Tuchel took over in 2015-16.

However, there’s plenty more that points towards the fact United have signed a gem of a footballer. For manager Jose Mourinho, Mkhitaryan has the potential to be the team’s perfect offensive fulcrum; he’s adaptable, inventive and tenacious in all aspects of his game, meaning he’ll give United an edge in attacking positions.

These numbers from WhoScored.com show just how consistently creative the midfielder can be at the highest level:

United could have feasibly waited another year and signed Mkhitaryan on a free transfer next season. However, he’s 27 years old, and Mourinho has always been a manager who looks to sign players on the cusp of or in the peak seasons of their career. Last season suggested Mkhitaryan’s best seasons are just around the corner.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic Deal Imminent

According to BBC Sport’s Simon Stone, Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s move to Manchester United could be finalised by the end of the week.

Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

The Sweden international let his contract run down with Paris Saint-Germain and is now a free agent. With his country out of the UEFA European Championships and the 34-year-old having stated he will not be taking part in the Olympics this summer, Stone suggested the path has been cleared to get this one done.

For United fans, it’ll be a relief after plenty of speculation. Ibrahimovic himself posted the following snap on his Instagram account recently, teasing about his "next destination":

Those who frequent Old Trafford will be hopeful that the veteran striker is worth the wait, with a one-year deal in the pipeline, according to Stone.

While Ibrahimovic has never featured in English football before, he’s been an evergreen presence in Paris. The striker enjoyed a remarkable 2015-16 season as PSG coasted to another Ligue 1 title; as these numbers from OptaJoe illustrate, only the game’s elite have bettered the former Barcelona man when it comes to goalscoring in recent seasons:

Under Mourinho, it’ll be fascinating to see what role Ibrahimovic does play. It’s clear from his showings in Ligue 1 and in the UEFA Champions League that he has what’s required to thrive at the highest level still, while his blend of brute power and stunning technical ability seems well-suited to English football.

What will have also attracted the Portuguese to Ibrahimovic is the fact he’s a born winner. In 13 of the last 15 domestic seasons he has played, the 34-year-old has been crowned as a champion.

Getting United back to the pinnacle of the English game will be Mourinho’s primary focus; landing Ibrahimovic is as close as he can get to a guarantee of achieving that ambition.