Arsenal fans are expected to get their first glimpse of Henrikh Mkhitaryan this evening when the Gunners play Swansea in the Liberty Stadium.
The former Manchester United playmaker arrived at the Emirates last Tuesday in a deal that saw Alexis Sanchez move in the other direction to Old Trafford. Handed the number seven shirt, the Armenian will feature tonight but Arsene Wenger was cagey about where he’ll position his new signing.
“Mkhitaryan can play in all positions in midfield, box to box, certainly not a defensive role, holding player, no, but all the other positions are not out of reach,” the Arsenal manager explained. “Until now he has played in a wide role but he can certainly absorb that role in a kind of winger/playmaker. I don’t rule it out for him to become a box to box player.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Latest Videos FromThe Week
Ideally, Arsenal will pair Mkhitaryan with Mesut Ozil in a partnership that will last beyond this season, although for that to happen the German midfielder will need to agree to a new deal when his current contract expires in June.
“Our intention is to keep Ozil at the club and hopefully we will manage to do that soon,” said Wenger, who can expect a stiff challenge tonight from the Premier League basement boys.
Maximum points against Swansea would not only lift the Gunners above Tottenham into fifth spot but be the perfect way to welcome Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the club. The Daily Telegraph is one of several outlets to have reported that Arsenal have agreed a deal in principle with Borussia Dortmund.
The terms of the deal will see the Gabon goal-machine move to the Emirates in return for a club record £55.4million (€63m) transfer fee.
That will be the catalyst for Olivier Giroud to pack his bags, but rather than move to Dortmund – as was suggested by some newspapers last week – the French striker will join Chelsea.
The Blues, meanwhile, in what the Telegraph describes as a “transfer merry-go-round”, will offload Michy Batshuayi to Borussia Dortmund.
Chelsea made their move yesterday when it became apparent, according to Sky Sports, that they had failed in their attempt to prise Edin Dzeko from Roma. The news was welcomed by the 31-year-old Giroud and his wife, both of whom enjoy living in London.
The Telegraph claims that Chelsea would like to take Giroud on loan but if Arsenal insist on a permanent deal then they “could be prepared to pay around £15m plus bonuses”.
Arsenal are hopeful the deal will be completed by the end of today but the Telegraph warns the Gunners that Chelsea could derail their Aubameyang bid “by calling off Batshuayi’s move to Dortmund if their move for Giroud is rejected”.
Tonight’s Premier League fixtures
- Swansea vs. Arsenal (7.45pm)
- West Ham vs. Crystal Palace (7.45pm)
- Huddersfield vs. Liverpool (8pm)
