Shakhtar Donetsk have once against denied reports that they have agreed to sell star midfielder Henrik Mkhitaryan, saying that currently there are no offers on the table.
Speculation linking Mkhitaryan with moves to Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund has continued this week, after Shakhtar had turned down a €23 million bid from the German Bundesliga club.
Shakhtar chief executive Sergei Palkin says that since that initial bid there has been no more offers from anyone, with Liverpool yet to even make a formal bid.
However, whilst he told press there is no buy-out clause in the 24-year-old Armenian international’s contract, the club are willing to let Mkhitaryan go for €30 million.
“There is nothing new about Mkhitaryan,” Palkin told Football.ua. “I already have said that Borussia Dortmund offered €23 million for him; this was the sole offer. [But] our position is €30 million.
“Mkhitaryan’s contract does not specify a compensation payment. Thirty million dollars need to be paid to sever the contract unilaterally.
“If we go with the civilized way and sell a player but he severs the contract, we specify a transfer value of €30 million.”
For those confused by the mention of dollars in the quotes, we suspect he means Euros. The currency in Ukraine is the hryvnia. €30 million is about £25 million.
Mkhitaryan seems to be trying to force his way out of the Ukranian champions, not showing up for pre-season training last week. The Mirror claim Mkhitaryan is “ready to break his contract to force a cut-price £20 million move to Liverpool”.
However, the transfer saga is still wide open with nothing from Mkhitaryan or his representatives, Liverpool, or Dortmund.
Thursday’s Times report that Liverpool are continuing their attempts to sign the 24 year old.
Earlier on Wednesday it was reported that Liverpool are still some way from a deal for Mkhitaryan, and the BBC’s Phil McNulty denied Liverpool have to sell Luis Suarez to be able to afford the Armenian.
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