Borussia Dortmund have confirmed that Henrikh Mkhitaryan is heading for Manchester United a deal believed to be worth around £26m.
United have been in talks with the Armenian midfielder, and he may soon be joining Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Eric Bailly and manager Jose Mourinho in arriving at Old Trafford this summer.
Dortmund revealed in a statement: “The paths of midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Borussia Dortmund separate from this summer.
“BVB have complied, after intensive discussions, with the wishes of the Armenia national team member, to join the fifth placed side in the English league last season, Manchester United.”
Mkhitaryan had one year left on his Dortmund contract. He led the Bundesliga in assists last season, with fifteen, and also weighed in with eleven goals.
Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said: “This transfer was for us on the basis of an entirely new starting situation a difficult balancing advance: Manchester has made us a tremendous value offer. Had we knocked it back, the player would have left for free in 2017. And we would only have postponed the personnel issue by one year.”
Although capable of operating in most attacking positions, something he did for Dortmund, Mkhitaryan was most productive in a right-sided attacking midfield position.
United are aiming to get back among the Premier League elite next season, and the triple transfer, plus the arrival of Mourinho, could galvanise the Red Devils after a lean couple of years.
By Steve Osborne @BlizzardSteve75
