Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Malcom Rumours

Borussia Dortmund have poured cold water on a potential move for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, as the Manchester United midfielder struggles for minutes at Old Trafford.

Speaking to German newspaper Bild (h/t Alex Richards of the Mirror), Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke hinted his club will not release the funds to make an attempt at a swoop for their former attacker, who moved to the Theatre of Dreams at the start of last season.

Watzke said: "I know the economic data of his transfer to Manchester United and that’s why it’s imaginable only with great imagination."

Per Richards, the Armenian talent has also been linked with a switch to Inter Milan, but Nerazzurri coach Luciano Spalletti adopted a similar tone to Watzke as he complained about the costs involved.

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Spalletti said:

"Mkhitaryan, [Javier] Pastore and then...you see? You need €30-40million to buy them. We don't have it.

"It's no use beating about the bush -- I've been told that we can't spend €40million, so there's no point even talking about it.

"Maybe you could have an exchange of players on loan, but then you would need, for example, Manchester United to want one of our players, but you've both got to have the same intentions.

"Everybody has to align with this FFP and nearly everybody needs to bring in more money."

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Sky Italia (h/t TalkSport) reported the 28-year-old had turned down the opportunity for a loan move to the San Siro, as Inter worked on ways of obtaining his services in January.

Mkhitaryan sparkled as United captured the UEFA Europa League last term, but his form collapsed after pre-season as manager Jose Mourinho prepared for his second year in Manchester.

The player is blessed with skill and creativity, but the pace of the Premier League has stopped him achieving the heights he set in the Bundesliga for BVB.

In other Red Devils news, Dortmund have rejoined the race to sign Bordeaux prodigy Malcom after interest from United and Tottenham Hotspur.

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Warren Haughton of The Sun reported the player has been tagged with a £45 million valuation by his club after a set of stunning performances in France. The 20-year-old has seven goals and four assists in Ligue 1 this season and has developed into one of Europe's most wanted youngsters. Dortmund originally had a £35 million bid for the attacker rejected last summer after Ousmane Dembele joined Barcelona.

Per Haughton, Mourinho is reportedly impressed by the Brazilian starlet but is not happy with Bordeaux's huge valuation.

Here is the player in action:

United have a lack of talent on the right, with stagnation present from full-back to the attacking positions.

Malcom is a specialist as a right-sided forward and would allow United increased balance as the team supports Romelu Lukaku.

Mourinho has struggled to produce a fluid attacking unit after the failure of Mkhitaryan as a regular No. 10, and he has been forced to rely on Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial in rotation on the left.

The two young superstars have burgeoning careers ahead of them, but United need to produce more assists from both wings.