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Manchester United close in on top transfer target

By Rucker Haringey

AUGSBURG, GERMANY - MARCH 20: Henrikh Mkhitaryan of Dortmund is challenged by Daniel Baier of Augsburg during the Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund at SGL Arena on March 20, 2016 in Augsburg, Germany. (Photo by Simon Hofmann/Getty Images)
AUGSBURG, GERMANY - MARCH 20: Henrikh Mkhitaryan of Dortmund is challenged by Daniel Baier of Augsburg during the Bundesliga match between FC Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund at SGL Arena on March 20, 2016 in Augsburg, Germany. (Photo by Simon Hofmann/Getty Images) /
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Manchester United are closing in on the signing of Dortmund attacker Henrikh Mkhitaryan

It seems that the arrival of Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford has helped restore some transfer mystique for Manchester United. That, combined with a massive amount of cash, seem to be enough for the Red Devils to sign top target Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

United’s interest in Mkhitaryan isn’t a surprise to anyone. They’ve been discussing him with Dortmund heavily over the past few weeks in hopes of securing a move for the talented attacker. Originally, Dortmund were steadfast in their refusal to part with their talisman, but it seems now that the club has been persuaded to reverse course.

Cooler heads seem to have prevailed at the Bundesliga club. Given the fact that the Armenian star is entering the last year of his contract, it’s not as if Dortmund had a ton of leverage in the transfer negotiations. Mkhitaryan has flatly refused to sign a new deal at Dortmund, leaving a transfer out as the only realistic option for the club.

Manchester United are happy to take the player off Dortmund’s hands. His creativity and ability to both score goals and create opportunities for others will be a significant asset for Mourinho’s first year at the club. He’s just the sort of ready-made attacking talent that United have been looking for all summer long.

All things being considered, Dortmund have done well to squeeze a 30 million pound transfer fee out of United. Ed Woodward and company could easily have attempted to wait the Bundesliga giants out given their lack of leverage. It’s likely the hardline rhetoric about not selling the player after United’s initial inquiries helped Dortmund continue to demand a significant transfer fee.

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United won’t quibble a bit over the price though. Mkhitaryan has been a consistently excellent performer since his arrival at Dortmund and it’s a safe bet that he’ll produce in the Premier League as well. His arrival should be particularly good for United’s young attackers such as Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial. HIs presence on the pitch will provide them with a lot more room to roam than they enjoyed last season.

With the agreement for Mkhitaryan complete, United will turn their attention to finalizing a deal for striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. A deal for the former PSG striker might garner more headlines than the signing of Dortmund man, but you can bet that Mkhitaryan’s move will be more important to the club’s level of success next year.

Dortmund fans will be sad to see Henrikh Mkhitaryan leave the club, but they’ve done well to get such a solid transfer fee for a player who wasn’t going to sign new deal. United have paid a significant fee for the attacker, but he’s going to be worth every penny.

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