Hot day for Liverpool as the Reds are reportedly close to signing Shakhtar Donetsk’s goal-scoring sensation, midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
While Shakhtar is widely known as a creative side due to their Brazilian contingency, there is no player who encompasses their free-flowing style more than the 24 year old Mkhitaryan. The son of one of Armenia’s best known footballers, Hamlet Mkhitaryan, ‘Heno’ made his debut for Armenia’s largest and most successful club, Pyunik Yerevan, at the age of 17.
At Pyunik he contributed to four Armenian Premier League titles (2006-09) before moving to Ukrainian side Metalurh Donetsk in 2009. It was there that the attacking midfielder was handed the captain’s arm band at the age of 21 and was so impressive that Shakhtar purchased him in 2010 for a fee of just over £5 million ($7.9m).
After helping Shakhtar to win the treble (Premier League, Ukrainian Cup, Super Cup) in his first year at the club, Mkhitaryan had a dominant sophomore season scoring 11 goals in 36 matches. The Armenian international was named Shakhtar’s player of the season and from there Mkhitaryan truly came into his own, hauling in 25 goals in the 2012-13 Premier League season.
Mkhitaryan is a versatile, multi-tooled player. While typically deployed as an attacking midfielder, Mkhitaryan’s nose for goal makes him a dangerous option as a central striker while his vision and ability to use both feet allow him to drop into a holding role and play as a deep lying playmaker.
The catching point for Liverpool getting this deal done, of course, is money.
The Merseyside club are believed to value Mkhitaryan at £14 million ($22.2m) but given the player’s extraordinary output and age, Shakhtar are looking for compensation in the neighborhood of £22 million ($34.5m).
If Liverpool do convince Shakhtar to deal, many believe this would be a massive coup for the Reds as the prolific Armenian is also on the radar of Barcelona, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco.
With Liverpool and Shakhtar set to meet in the coming days, the Kop could secure it’s third major signing of the summer by the end of this week.
