Armenian playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan has reportedly refused to sign a new deal at Borussia Dortmund, which has put Premier League club Chelsea FC on alert.
Mkhitaryan’s current deal with Dortmund runs out at the end of the 2016/17 season, but the player does not want to extend his contract with the club, according to reports from Armenia [via Evening Standard].
German newspaper Bild reported a few days back that incoming Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has been impressed by the Armenian’s performance at Dortmund, and is looking to bring Mkhitaryan to Stamford Bridge.
Mkhitaryan has also been reported to be house hunting in London, which has given rise to more rumours about a Chelsea switch. However, Arsenal are also said to be interested in the player, and the house hunting reports could also be indicative of a move to the North London club.
Arsenal to sign Carrick for free?
Manchester United star Michael Carrick’s contract is about to come to an end. With the Red Devils looking unlikely to offer the 34 year old a new contract, it increasingly looks like the England international may be on the move.
According to the Daily Express, Arsenal are favourites to sign the 34 year old as a free agent. The Gunners have lost three of their experienced midfielders in Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini and Tomas Rosicky. Manager Arsene Wenger is looking for a replacement for these experienced players, and Carrick is one of his top priorities as he can still give 20+ league appearances in a season.
However, convincing Carrick to move to Arsenal might prove to be a bit more difficult, as he has played for the Gunners’ arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur before.
Liverpool to offer Pastore £7m-a-year deal
Reds’ manager Jurgen Klopp is looking to rebuild his squad after a disappointing Europa League final, which his side lost 3-1 at the hands of Spanish side Sevilla.
Liverpool have had a bittersweet first season under Jurgen Klopp, managing to reach two cup finals (League Cup and Europa League). However, they lost both the finals, to Manchester City and Sevilla respectively, and now are now looking to rebuild their team into a top-four side ahead of the 2016/17 season.
The Reds have identified PSG’s Javier Pastore as a potential transfer, and are willing to offer the Argentinian a mammoth deal of around £7 million per year, according to French news outlet MaxiFoot. However, the lack of Champions League football might hamper their chances of signing the Argentine.
Barcelona prepared to sell Turan
The Catalans have not been impressed with Arda Turan’s performance, and are reportedly prepared to sell him, after just spending one season at the club.
Turan was signed from Atletico Madrid for around £26 million, but was only allowed to play after the January transfer window opened, as FIFA had imposed a transfer embargo on the club. Since then, Turan has made just nine league appearances.
While top Premier League clubs like Manchester United and Arsenal were trying to sign the Turkey international a year ago, their interest seems to have waned. Instead, Barcelona are hoping to sell Turan to clubs in China, Middle East, and Turkey, for about the same price for which they bought him, according to the Daily Mirror.