Mario Gotze has been linked with a move to West Ham (Getty Images)
According to a report from The Sun, Arsenal are ready to offload Henrikh Mkhitaryan after the Europa League final.
The Armenian international, 30, joined Arsenal in January 2018 as part of the swap deal which saw Alexis Sanchez join Manchester United. But following his move to the Gunners, the playmaker has failed to make a significant impact with the 30-year-old scoring just six goals and registering seven assists in 39 appearances this season.
Mkhitaryan will play no part in the Europa League final against Chelsea in Baku on Wednesday after deciding to miss the game due to security concerns surrounding the trip to Azerbaijan. And now the report claims that the Arsenal top-brass feel that the Armenian will never hit top form in the Premier League and want to get him off the books.
Unai Emery will look to win the Europa League as that holds the ticket for his team’s entry in the Champions League next term. After missing out on a top-four finish this past campaign, he’ll be eager to reinforce his squad and if he decides to offload Mkhitaryan, the Spanish tactician must try replacing him this summer itself.
As per the Daily Mirror, Arsenal are keeping tabs on Borussia Dortmund star Mario Gotze. The Germany international has only a year left in his contract at Signal Iduna Park and is considering his future at the club. As he could be available on a cut-price deal this summer, Emery would do well to snap him up to replace Mkhitaryan.
Gotze was once considered as one of the best talents in European football, but his stock has dramatically fallen in recent times after a difficult spell at Bayern Munich and some injury problems.
In the last 12 months, he has been playing regularly, though. The 26-year-old scored seven goals and assisted as many times this past season, but Dortmund missed out on the Bundesliga title.
The German has started to regain his lost mojo and at 26, the time could be perfect for Arsenal to lure him away to the Emirates. In Gotze, Emery would get a highly versatile player that can play anywhere in the attack and midfield. The ex-Bayern ace’s dribbling skills and movement are unparalleled and he possesses the creativity to carve open defences at will.
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The World Cup winner is also a composed finisher in front of goal and that coupled with all his other attributes make him perfect for both the Premier League and Arsenal. He still remains a natural talent who could thrive under Emery and take the Premier League by storm.
At 26, Gotze will be entering the prime years of his career. He is just the bargain transfer that Arsenal need to help them move forward and while his wages will cost a pretty penny, it’s a reasonable option.