German media are today reporting that Borussia Dortmund are to send a delegation to Donetsk to discuss the transfer of Shaktar midfielder Henrikh Mhitaryan.
Dortmund and Liverpool have been heavily linked with the Armenian international, who has even gone on strike in order to force a move away from the Ukrainian club.
German newspaper Bild claim Mkhitaryan wants to move to Dortmund and that he will replace departing Mario Gotze.
Sky Sports Germany report that Dortmund officials are heading to Shaktar to discuss the transfer.
German football correspondent Raphael Honigstein tweeted on Friday afternoon:
Sky Germany are reporting that a @BVB delegation have flown to Donezk today.
— raphael honigstein (@honigstein) July 5, 2013
. @Bild is reporting that Mkhitaryan has set his mind on joining Dortmund, and agreed personal terms with them. Fee remains a problem. #LFC
— raphael honigstein (@honigstein) July 5, 2013
Furthermore, Kicker also report that the deal is close to completion.
Update: The Daily Mail are now reporting the same news – although quite likely based purely on the German reports. They claim Mkhitaryan has made up his mind to join last season’s Champions’ League runners-up and has informed Anfield bosses of his decision.
Mind you, Daily Mail claim Mkhitaryan has a £19m release clause, which has previously been disputed.
All this is despite Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke insisting they will not spend big this summer. “With money we could solve everything quickly”, he is quoted explaining. “But we want to continue to act in a way that also makes economic sense.”
The German side signed French forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on Thursday for 18m euros.
Meanwhile, eastern European journalists still claim Mkhitaryan is Anfield bound:
My man at Shakhtar says that no meeting requests came from BVB. Which always happens when a club flies to negotiate a deal
— Alexey Yaroshevsky (@YaroLFC) July 5, 2013
@LFCNegotiations i think i can smell an invented story when i see one, besides i have insider info which suggests its all bollox
— Alexey Yaroshevsky (@YaroLFC) July 5, 2013
The Liverpool Echo this morning reported that Mkhitaryan “is keen on a move to Anfield”. They write:
Liverpool are prepared to pay up to £25million to complete their biggest transfer of the summer but there is still no agreement in place.
With agents’ demands creating another stumbling block, a swift resolution is not expected.
So, still as clear as mud then.
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