Henrikh Mkhitaryan is being strongly linked with top English sides (Piture: Getty)
Henrikh Mkhitaryan is being strongly linked with top English sides (Piture: Getty)

You’ll have seen his name everywhere by now, and we’re just about learning how to spell it – Henrikh Mkhitaryan looks set to be one of the most talked-about players of this summer’s transfer window.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have all been credited with an interest in the Borussia Dortmund star, who produced some eye-catching performances and seriously impressive numbers last season.

What’s all the fuss about? Where could he end up? We have a look at the talented Bundesliga star as he possibly prepares for a big move to the Premier League…

Career summary

A 27-year-old Armenian international, Mkhitaryan started out at Yerevan-based club FC Pyunik. Joining their academy in 1995, he made his senior breakthrough in 2006, playing in the club’s first-team for four seasons before moving on.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan at his Shakhtar Donetsk unveiling (Picture: Getty)
Henrikh Mkhitaryan at his Shakhtar Donetsk unveiling (Picture: Getty)

He then established himself in Ukraine with Metalurh Donetsk, though he was snapped up after just a season and a half by Shakhtar, where he really made his name.

With 44 goals in 104 games for Shakhtar, the versatile attacker started to attract strong interest from Liverpool in the summer of 2013, though he ended up joining Borussia Dortmund instead.

A decent first season in Germany was followed by a fairly disappointing one, though this coincided with the club’s overall change in fortunes, and he recovered brilliantly to show the form of his career under Thomas Tuchel last season.

Goal contribution

It is surely Mkhitaryan’s goal figures from last season – 23 in 51 games in all competitions – that have got him on top clubs’ radars, but he’s had a very stop-start career in terms of goalscoring.

At Dortmund alone he has fluctuated; 13 goals in his first season was followed by just 4 the following year, before his superb tally of 23 in the campaign just gone.

His final year at Shakhtar saw him hit the best tally of his career with 29 in 42 games, but this followed a total of just 15 in the previous two seasons combined. To conclude, it’s hard to know how much of a natural he is, and how much his game depends on his coach’s tactical setup, not to mention his own confidence.

While the goals flowed under Tuchel, his final season under Jurgen Klopp saw him struggle badly with easy chances, as he earned a reputation for being wasteful.

Still, he also contributed 32 assists last season, with a combination of defence-splitting through-balls and squared balls from wider areas. Capable of playing in basically every attacking midfield position, Mkhitaryan was mainly used in a free role from the right, though also effective playing as a number ten behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

MORE : Arsenal are the only club to have bid for Mkhitaryan

Ideally suited to the fast style of play deployed under Tuchel, Mkhitaryan does not boast the most accomplished pass accuracy (76.9%), but he averaged 2.6 key passes per game and has a great final ball, as opposed to being an all-out possession player.

Defensive work

An energetic player who gets all around the pitch, Mkhitaryan does his defensive duties and would be ideally suited to a team who likes to play a strong pressing game.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan played in eight different positions last season (Picture: Getty)
Henrikh Mkhitaryan played in eight different positions last season (Picture: Getty)

In many ways, the Dortmund man looks an ideal signing for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, so it is surprising not to see him strongly linked with the club, but he could equally do a fine job fitting into how Arsenal play.

Averaging 1.9 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game last season, this immensely talented attacking midfielder showed he also has the graft to play central midfield, as he did on a handful of occasions, so could adapt to such a role later in his career, as Santi Cazorla has done with the Gunners.

Contract situation

While there may be legitimate concerns about Mkhitaryan’s consistency and mentality, it’s clear to see why top clubs are after him this summer as he heads into the final year of his contract.

Mino Raiola could get Henrikh Mkhitaryan his glamour move (Picture: Getty)
Mino Raiola could get Henrikh Mkhitaryan his glamour move (Picture: Getty)

The 27-year-old looks to have hit form at just the right time in terms of bagging himself a big move, with a deal seemingly no closer at Dortmund as he edges closer and closer to becoming a free agent.

That will surely drive down Dortmund’s bargaining power in terms of asking price, with various sources claiming he could cost as little as £20million – an absolute steal for a player of his calibre in this day and age.

There’s also his agent – the notorious Mino Raiola – who represents the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba and is no stranger to negotiating big transfers for his clients. Raiola himself has fuelled speculation over Mkhitaryan’s future this summer by talking up a potential move to Manchester United.

MORE : Man Utd fail with £19million bid for Mkhitaryan

How would he fit in?

Of the clubs linked, Arsenal seems the most obvious fit for Mkhitaryan, even if they don’t exactly need yet another attacking midfielder. Still, given his versatility, there’s no doubt the Armenian could replace someone like Theo Walcott on the right flank, or provide more of a goal threat than players like Cazorla or Aaron Ramsey from a central position.

Would these two be threatened by Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s arrival? (Picture: Getty)
Would these two be threatened by Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s arrival? (Picture: Getty)

If it’s United he wants, it’s hard to know precisely how Jose Mourinho might plan to fit him in as we don’t yet know what his tactics at Old Trafford will be. Again, however, Mkhitaryan looks an upgrade on many of the Red Devils’ current attacking midfielders, so could be a replacement for any one of Juan Mata, Memphis Depay or Ander Herrera.

Chelsea is the hardest one to see working out, as there’s no ideal role for him in Antonio Conte’s preferred 3-5-2 formation. He hasn’t played as a wing-back before and isn’t the type of wide-player to hog the touch line, preferring instead to cut inside or make late runs into the box. If, however, Chelsea continue as they did last season, Mkhitaryan could be the ideal upgrade on the off-form Eden Hazard out on the left, or equally for Oscar in the number ten role if the Brazilian is offloaded.

Whatever happens, it’s not surprising to see talk of a big move, and the ingredients are there for Mkhitaryan to be a success in England.

MORE : Why Mkhitaryan could be the perfect signing for Arsenal