Premier League: Mkhitaryan, Duncan and Llorente secure moves to Italy
Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan signs loan deal with AS Roma
Mkhitaryan joins Roma
Arsenal’s summer clear-out continued right up to the last possible moment last night with the club’s official website confirming Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s departure on loan to AS Roma.
The Armenian midfielder has never adapted to the Emirates since his arrival in January 2018 from Manchester United, despite making 59 appearances in all competitions.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
He told the Roma website that the move is “a great opportunity for me to begin a new chapter, with a great club”.
The departure of Mkhitaryan, who is not expected to return to the Arsenal squad next season, brings to 16 the number of players who have been loaned or sold over the summer with Nacho Monreal and Mohamed Elneny jettisoned over the weekend.
According to Metro, the Italian club will be paying Mkhitaryan’s £200,000-a-week wages and have the option to buy the 30-year-old at any time during his stay at the Stadio Olimpico.
Duncan signs for Fiorentina
At the other end of the age scale, Liverpool’s 18-year-old forward Bobby Duncan has joined Fiorentina on a three-year deal, with the option of two further years, reports Sky Sports.
The teenager, who is Steven Gerrard’s cousin, has joined the Serie A club for a fee believed to be around £2m with the Reds adding a 20% sell-on clause in the deal.
“I want to thank everybody at liverpoolfc from the Coaches, Staff and Players for contributing in my development at the club,” Duncan wrote on Twitter. “I move on with very special memories… Thank you.”
Llorente heads to Napoli
BBC Sport reports that Napoli have signed Spain striker Fernando Llorente, who left Tottenham at the end of last season.
The 34-year-old frontman was linked to Manchester United earlier in the summer, as a possible replacement for Romelu Lukaku, but instead he returns to Italy, where he spent two fruitful years with Juventus between 2013 and 2015, winning two Serie A titles.
Darmian seals deal
On a day when the Premier League handed its cast-offs to Italy, Man Utd defender Matteo Darmian completed his move to Parma.
According to The Daily Telegraph, United have been trying to get shot of the 29-year-old Darmian for a year to trim their wage bill, and consequently “have been forced to accept a far lower offer”.
It’s believed Parma have paid in the region of £3.6m for the full-back, who arrived from Torino four years ago in a £12.7m deal.
The Telegraph says that United’s £9.1m loss on Darmian is “further proof of the club’s confused and disjointed recruitment strategy”.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
John Prescott: was he Labour's last link to the working class?
Today's Big Quesiton
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Mary Poppins tour: 'humdinger' of a show kicks off at Bristol Hippodrome
The Week Recommends Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers are 'true triple threats' as Mary and Bert in 'timeless' production
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Jaguar's stalled rebrand
In the spotlight Critics and car lovers are baffled by the luxury car company's 'complete reset'
By Abby Wilson Published
-
Why Man United finally lost patience with ten Hag
Talking Point After another loss United sacked ten Hag in hopes of success in the Champion's League
By The Week UK Published
-
The Premier League's spending cap: levelling the playing field?
Talking Point Top clubs oppose plans to link spending to income of lowest-earning club, but rule could prevent success gap from widening
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is a new English football regulator an own goal for the game?
Talking Point PM hails 'historic moment for football fans' but West Ham owner warns it could 'ruin' Premier League
By The Week UK Published
-
English football and the etiquette of leaving the stadium early
Talking Point The belief that 'true fans stay to the end' does not always apply
By The Week UK Published
-
Manchester United and Mason Greenwood: duty of care or double standards?
Talking Point The 21-year-old footballer’s possible return has provoked an outpouring of dismay from supporters
By Jamie Timson Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated