Henrikh Mkhitaryan is on the verge of completing his move to Arsenal from Manchester United. We’ve rounded up all the latest updates from a busy day for the Armenian.
Late on Saturday night, Sky Sports’ Bryan Swanson met Mkhitaryan outside a London hotel. The 29-year-old (28 at the time) was with his agent Mino Raiola.
He smiled when Swanson asked about Arsenal, but didn’t give any further hints.
On Sunday, The Times reported that Mkhitaryan agreed terms of £140,000-per-week with Arsenal, making him one of the club’s highest earners. They also wrote that the Gunners have ratified the player’s work permit.
However, David Ornstein then revealed that the club have pushed the announcement back.
#MUFC #AFC confirmation of Sanchez/Mkhitaryan swap Mon/Tue as work permits need updating. Arsenal stepping up Aubameyang pursuit – confident but will drag as must agree fee & possibility of player going other way to #BVB If done no significant funds available for further signings
— David Ornstein (@bbcsport_david) January 21, 2018
Mkhitaryan’s move depends on Alexis Sanchez going the other way, and the Chilean’s permit still isn’t sorted. Ornstein gave a new deadline of Monday or Tuesday.
Sanchez also gave a couple of updates on Sunday.
First he posted a video boarding a plane, seemingly flying him to Manchester even though he had allegedly driven there the day before. Then he retweeted a Daily Mail article defending him from Martin Keown’s comments. Keown said Alexis was a “mercenary” for joining United.
If you believe the Twitter rumours, the transfer is now complete, and it’s just details like the permit to sort out.
Both players’ medicals supposedly took place on Sunday, and photos and interviews are also complete.
Just a matter of time now. Going on Arsenal’s track record, the announcement will come at 5pm some day this week.