Despite the feeling that Henrikh Mkhitaryan was going to end up playing for Liverpool, it seems that Borussia Dortmund have beaten them to the punch, and are left with agreeing upon the fee with Shakhtar Donetsk.
According to both the Bild and the Kicker, Mkhitaryan has decided that his career would benefit more from playing for a club that is going to be in the Champions League, maybe listening to what his manager, Mircea Lucescu, told him.
Dortmund were the ones who knocked out Shakhtar from the Champions League last season, so the Armenian attacking midfielder has an experience regarding the quality of the club he is most likely going to join.
What hasn’t been cleared up yet, is whether or not Dortmund have a deal with him, or with the club. According to one report, the team and the player have already agreed on their personal terms, and all that is left is meeting the club’s demands, which are at €30 million.
Another, contrasting report, suggest Liverpool weren’t able to meet that price demand, but Dortmund officials have, going over to the Ukraine to make sure the deal goes through, and all that is left now is getting a contract done with Mkhitaryan himself.
If this is all true and on its way of happening, Dortmund have finally got themselves a replacement for Mario Gotze. As for Liverpool, an important battle for them in proving they’re still considered a big club on a larger scale than the Premier League ended up to be a losing one.
The season wan’t rise & fall on the presence of Mkhitaryan, especially if Luis Suarez doesn’t leave, but it goes to show that the attraction power of the club has taken a hit due to their recent disappointments in Europe and the league.