Arsenal and Manchester United have agreed to a deal that will see Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Alexis Sanchez trade places in the next 48 hours.
Both the BBC and the Guardian report that the move is a straight swap deal meaning the Gunners won’t be receiving an additional cash lump sum.
Sanchez, who is out of contract at the Emirates in the summer, could earn up to £500,000 a week at Old Trafford while Mkhitaryan looks likely to increase his current earnings from £140,000 a week.
EXCLUSIVE: Manchester United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan agrees move to Arsenal in a deal that will see Gunners forward Alexis Sanchez go opposite way. It’s a straight swap, no money involved. Paperwork complete, Mkhitaryan will undergo a medical over the next 2 days #MUFC #AFC
— David Ornstein (@bbcsport_david) January 20, 2018
The Armenian, who was previously linked with a move to Arsenal while on the books at Borussia Dortmund, will undergo a medical in the coming days.
Earlier this afternoon both Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho confirmed that the clubs were very close to finalising the details of the deal.
“It’s so close, so close, so close,” said Mourinho after his side’s win at Burnley.
“I’m positive, I know my people is doing everything, absolutely everything they can.
“The owners with the green light, Mr Woodward working hard, everybody is giving everything they can, and I think they will be successful.”
Here’s hoping he reunites with Auba! Regardless, welcome to the Arsenal!.. In advance that is!
That’s one over the line. Now get Auba and Evans done please!
No money, thats not such a clever piece of business then. Just when I think these muppets are learning …
Anyway thats to the backroom staff. Welcome Mkh…the one who cannot be named.
Özil Jr?
Mr.H?
Milktarian !
It’d be nice if you guys stopped taking the mhki out of his name.
Is that like Milk Tray Man?
Perhaps just “Oh Micky, you’re so fine you blow my mind, hey Micky ” – Toni Basil.
Considering he was going to leave on a free, it’s great business. You on the the other hand can leave on a free. We can replace you with an actual supporter.
You have incredibly unrealistic expectations. The only reason we’re even getting 35m (value on the swap) is Sanchez is so desperate to leave Arsenal now that he doesn’t want to wait for the end of the season. We are getting a player who was top class at Dortmund, costs roughly what Sanchez did when he joined and who has 2 1/2 years left on his contract. Quite frankly we’re lucky we’re getting anything for Sanchez.
Absolutely agree. It’s a better deal than we could have hoped for, frankly.
True, but that’s not saying much.
At this stage yes, but why did we get to this stage?
Because the board and manager and everyone else at the club don’t care
We’re lucky we’re getting anything for him but that’s only because we fucked up so hard in the summer (and generally in the seasons before)
That is just too true.
Just hope we’re not swapping one guy who doesn’t want to be there for another guy who doesn’t want to be there.
Micky is going to need lots of loving as he must feel like a real reject at the moment.
Isn’t he signing a new deal? Isn’t that how it works when players swap clubs they sign new contracts?
Well no top players like Sanchez and Ozil should be allowed to go into their last seasons with a new contract or they should be transferred out. I say that being a huge Ozil fan. Its not right we are in this situation.
Mate Sanchez was always going. This way we get rid of a potential lockerroom disaster and gain a quality midfielder. For the sake of 6 months .. Were rich as fuck we don’t need the cash with TV money as it is. Good deal get it done move on and get the striker sorted
Whoa…Evans? No no no no
Add Mahrez and a DM instead of Evans and all would be okay with the world.
No Evans. Just a “name”. Not our standard at all.
Welcome Mick O’Ryan.
WTF? When did this happen?
500k a week. It’s a sick world. A really sick world.
Only people with small minds cannot comprehend it. It’s a fair share of profits the employees(players) are getting. What’s sick about it?! Nobody stop you from going this job.
Everyone’s entitled to an opinion, but if you are going to use that username and make comments of that nature, could you please stop and think of what an insult it is to that man’s name, a man who is a hero to so many.
There are hundreds of millions of people living in unthinkable conditions in this world, and the extremely rich could but don’t do anything about it. If you really are of the ‘every man for himself’ opinion that’s your choice, but don’t tarnish Mandela’s name with your callous remarks.
In fairness to Alexis though I get the impression he’ll do good things with that money. Doesn’t he spend a lot of time improving conditions in his hometown in Chile?
If he does then more power to him but I doubt every player in the league is so generous with their money. I really do find it disgusting how much footballers are getting paid now
Many other footballers do much more even Cristiano Ronaldo.
And yet so few signed up to Mata’s 1% or whatever it was.
Just the money not paid to Spain in taxes is spent there. Any other money is pocketed.
Yes,the all town rely on his cash
That’s 24 million a year. In the current market a player like Sanchez would cost about 80 I presume. They basically paid him around 25-30 (or whatever they paid for Miki), so yeah, it’s a big investment, but it kind of makes sense. Which is why Arsenal has to pay Ozil whatever he asks (assuming he wants to stay).
That’s a fortune!
I see you’re talking about Sánchez. In which case, I agree with you.
I jumped to the wrong conclusion at first. Arsenal would never pay that ridiculous sort of salary. And rightly so.
This season, Sanchez didn’t even perform worth the fourth of the salary Arsenal paid to him. We lost around millions from what we could have got in the summer in addition to 3/4 of of salary paid to him.
Would you be saying that, if it was you making that money?
Maybe the money he makes at manure will unsettle the rest of that lot. I wouldn’t stop laughing.
Sanchez will destabilize their team. Martial, Rashford, etc won’t get as much action. Others will start asking for money…
I think we got rid of a headache. Look how free the players looked today 🙂
He didn’t destabilise the team while he was there, it was all made up and Coquelin verified that. I’ll take his word over yours. The players weren’t free, they were playing against dog shit. You’d have realised that if you watched how the goals were scored and who scored them, instead of dreaming up absurd theories on how Arsenal are better off without Sanchez.
Yes, I thought they looked like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders, as if they didn’t have to keep looking for Sanchez to pass the ball to, a lot of them seemed to up their game, although of course it was only Palace….
Don’t go by the figures quoted by the media, its usually way lesser.
It’s supposedly around the 300,000 mark
Where did you read that ?
wtf was the point then??? should have just kept him for the rest of the season
We’ve got Mickey Tarzan!!!
Will miss Atom & Humber though. They’re still good dogs…
Like Mickey Tarzan !
It’s worth a gamble. Worst case scenario we have an asset that is at least worth more than a six month contract. Really do need to push through another couple of signing this month to truly lift the spirits.
Micky has the look and feel of a Lidl Özil. Really hope that’s not a bad thing.
Looking forward to Lacazette linking up with him too. Having him, Ozil and Wilshire guarantees some good technical build ups and all can counter attack well. Excited.
Can someone explain why we are bringing in a bloke who is exactly like Ozil and another one who is exactly like Laca..
One pair for the PL the other pair for Europa?
2 ozils is my slice of cake everydaaay
You can’t have too much of a good thing
Can’t see the complementarity here or even what formation we could use with those 4
You have a point. I can’t immediately see a formation either (and I’m not gonna try, until its on arsenal.com!). But, I would say that Pierre and Lacazzete certainly aren’t the same – have different characteristics, though both strikers.
As for Mr. H, in the worst case scenario that we don’t manage to accommodate him, he’s a back-up for Özil (as well as a potential replacement).
They’re all clever players they will figure it out
I assume Mhki is going to be assigned the left wing, where Sanchez would normally cut in from. He has plenty of experience in a forward line, and usually we like one of our wingers to be a creative presence. Aubameyang would be the guy who likes to stretch play on the right, run the ball to the line or link up with the fullback. As far as I can see, they are like for like replacements for the creative role Sanchez did play on the left as Ozil sought to make more runs, and the hole that Walcott leaves… Read more »
I think it will be Laca left, Auba center, Mk right. If we buy Auba that is.
Wenger always surprises.
I’m guessing your FIFA team is managed differently?
What’s wrong with having quality depth?
Also IF we keep Giroud that would be 3 quality strikers!! We’ve complained lack of quality in our squad and now we can have more than enough let’s not complain and with the ages of some of these players we have youngster such as reiss Nelson who we can develop over the next couple of years to step Up!
Why would Giroud stay when he doesn’t get the minutes he wants now?
goals would be the obvious reason
As long as it is not a 2nd Welbeck or Ospina, all is well.
It is called squad depth
Mhki isn’t like Ozil really. They play in similar positions but that’s about it. Mhki is a more vertically oriented player (or he was before Mourinho turned him into shite), watch videos from his time at dortmund. They’re both creative but in quite different ways, and Mhki takes a lot more shots. Though Wenger will probably pound that out of him within a week or two and he’ll be passing sideways like the rest of our team…
Or injured of course!
Because although he is a creative player (and will get assists) he’s not ‘exactly like Ozil’.
Then again..who is?
Please take the dogs with you Alexis , there’s a hope hope they don’t like ManU dogfood menu and you personally end up like Rooney
They won’t like the rain
Manchester is a shithole
So is sanchez
I love reading Dial Square’s tweets about transfers and club business. Never once been right. Always full of shite.
We lose a striker but gain some much needed technical ability in midfirld
This!
Can anyone teach me how to pronounce the Mickey name, syllable by syllable
Mi-key
http://www.manutd.com/en/News-And-Features/Features/2016/Jul/Video-Henrikh-Mkhitaryan-explains-how-to-pronounce-his-surname.aspx
Mick-a-tear-e-an. You would hear that in every pub in rural Ireland most weekends
His name is actually Mikey Taryan
And he will sit on the Iron Throne
It still sticks in the craw that Alexis is going to ManU and “him”, but it looks like we’re getting a decent result. Mhk is a good player that will add creative quality, and ultimately if we didn’t get the deal done Alexis would have gone for nothing in a few months. And I’m not sure we would have got 100% effort from Alexis from those months.
I’m not saying it was great strategy or anything as it looks like we’re just cobbling this together as we go, but all things considered it’s a good outcome from a shit situation.
And This! Finally some sense being spoken!
Alexis could have joined united for free so mkhi is like a new signing. Now can someone teach this team how to defend. no clean sheet in 7 games.
Mkhi IS a new signing. You probably meant free signing…
A shockingly bad deal considering we were offered sixty million pounds for the player in the summer. He should have been given a deadline early in the summer to sign and if doesn’t then he should have been sold with time to reinvest. Instead our pathetically weak Manager who indulges his players & has no team discipline has a ridiculous idea that Sanchez would stay & maybe sign late which costs us even more. This is the same manager who was also told point blank by Oxlaide Chamberlian that he wouldn’t sign a new deal at the club even though… Read more »
I don’t think he has “mugged us off” we got a great player in return and if he turns our anything like other mourinho rejects like kdb or mo salah his value will sky rocket higher than Alexis. We still have a decent team and it showed today. If we add abmyang and possibly Evans I’ll be the best transfer we have done for a very very long time.
We’ve got a player who has had a very mixed time ignore it in England against one of the best players in the league. Alexis was worth 60 million six months ago, now we won’t be getting a penny for him (admittedly Mkhitaryan’s value is around 30 million). We beat an average Crystal Palace team who have lots of injuries. We’ve lost to Bournemouth, Stoke & Watford this season & been unable to beat West Brom, West Ham, Southampton & Nottingham Forest. We don’t need Jonny Evans, we already have three 30 plus year old defenders, he’s also too similar… Read more »
If we had all those poor results you mention with Alexis still a part of the team then he certainly wasn’t helping us much by keeping him. By your own admission we’re getting 30million for someone who wasn’t helping solve our problems and that we’d have got nothing for in a few months.
Mkhitarian is not a great player. He had ONE outstanding season and was sold to united for 25 mil.
He got 23 goals and 32 assists in his last season at Dortmund
Only 11 in the league though. And the league’s shit compared to PL, so you can forget him doing that for Arsenal – especially as he hasn’t done it for Utd and they have better players.
Agreed with exception of Evans. Seriously, although we clearly have no plan, we can do much better…Surely?
How the fuck is Mkhitaryan a great player? he’s been at United two years and been completely anonymous; now they want rid.
Why do people keep saying, he was brilliant at Dortmund, as if that has any relevance? He’s not at fucking Dortmund is he? He’s playing in the Premier League and has not adapted, physically or mentally and looks bang average.
Mourinho sold De Bruyne and Salah, they are shit players too I suppose because they did fuck all at Chelsea?
Those guys were much younger. You know Mou pretty much hates giving young players a chance.
I don’t dislike HM. I think he is a good player when he was at Dortmund. The thing is that I’m hoping that what happened at Dortmund happens here in the Prem. It took him couple of seasons to settle in Dortmund before he took off so maybe it might happen with us.
I just wonder what his salary is going to be? For an unsuccessful player is he going to get 150-200K?
Wait…you’re mad that the club didn’t sell him last summer for 60m£, while complaining that they sit on their money and at the same time mad that we swap him for a good player on a long term contract?
You confuse the heck out of me…
No, I’m angry that we didn’t sell him for 60 million in the summer when it was abundantly clear he had no intention of signing a new deal. We had two years to get him to sign & we couldn’t do it.
Now we are forced to accept a poor deal.
“… in the summer when it was abundantly clear…”
Maybe it wasn’t abundantly clear to the people with access to more information, perhaps, those involved in the situation?
So you think after trying for two years to get Alexis to sign a deal he was magically going to sign one when he had less than a year left?
I agree they knew it was over this summer. But Man City tried to fuck us about waiting until the end of the window to launch their move and we couldn’t get a replacement deal over the line. We should have been prepared with options, but it looks like we’re addressing those structural problems with a new scouting and procurement team. Look at this deal – it’s obviously not a one-side problem. Logically we’re not accepting letting key players go without reinforcements, which is perfectly sensible. Unfortunately it also still looks like we’re stuck with a balance the books transfer… Read more »
“So you think after trying for two years to get Alexis to sign a deal he was magically going to sign one when he had less than a year left?”
Well, Özil is in the same situation. Is it abundantly clear that he won’t sign a new contract?
Pathetically weak excuse of a fan Glocken is.
Oh feck me a straight swap ? With a Manure reject?
Well, there a couple of his rejects I would not mind having. De Bruyne would be a nice start.
Yeah but those players were young. HM is “old”. I’m just hoping that what happened in Dortmund happens with him here that it took him a couple of seasons to settle before thriving there.
Mourinho reject, you mean. Mou is good at rejecting players only to pay through the nose to have them back – Mata, Matic, Lukaku, etc etc
Hopefully we are sticking United with the Raiola bill.
That’s the first thing that came to mind when I read ‘straight swap no cash’. 20 million from Man U paid to the scum.
Some of these Ornstein memes have been next level.
.
This is a really bad deal.
Taking into account the contract situation of Sanchez, no, it isn’t.
I’m excited to see what happens with Mkhitaryan. I feel like he can be our Salah or De Bruyne
PMSL
I think this is a good deal. A ready made replacement if we go by his Dortmund form. No one has seen the best of him at Man Utd because of the way mourinho plays. He’s more of an arsenal type player. It felt like our formation today was a warm up to what we’ll see when Mkhitaryan joins. Iwobi to make way. Not a bad creative three with Jack and Ozil. Laca will get plenty of chances. Auba to come in makes it even more exciting.
The way Mourhino talks about this deal you can tell how bad he wants it…makes me really wish arsenal or Alexis would just pull the deal simply to see his head explode
I wouldn’t have minded Sanchez going to City, at least you can see why he wanted to do that. Going to United shows this was about nothing but money, though. They’re not that much better a team than we are, they play even worse football, they’ve got a total cunt for a manager.
Really hope he and Mourinho fall out within days and Mourinho ends up getting eaten by Alexis’ dogs.
Let’s hope we buy Auba ASAP before Arsene plays Mikhi one game against some mid-low table team and it convinces him we have enough firepower to win the title with.
Considering he was gone on a free in 6 months…. not a bad deal really. Ideally money would of been nice but Mki is a decent replacement. If the lads can emulTe todays result more often… he will thrive.
Some stories emerging that Spurs are going to make a move for Malcolm – that would be really annoying.
Mick O’Tarian…the Irish international? Miss Sanchez already…..
Great deal! Now bring us a meaty defender and dm. I’d like Koulibaly and Danilo Pereira.
This has to be the worst swap deal of all team. We lose a player that scores and/or assists nearly every other game and gain a player whose been a complete Premier League flop. Personally, I think Mhykitarian is being bought as a replacement for Ozil – even if he’s half as good.
Mourinho sold De Bruyne and Salah, they were both “flops” at Chelsea, are they flops now?
Hoping for the best for Arsenal.
Those guys were young. HM is much older.
Well done Arsenal. Not only have you guaranteed we’ll never catch City, but we’ll never catch Utd now they have Sanchez.
This is a terrible deal for Arsenal. One in a series of Omnishambles
It’s not the worst deal. Sanchez would walk free at the end of the season, how much is Miki worth in this climate? £25 million, maybe more? That’s better than losing him for free.
We could have taken 35m from Man Utd. And put that towards a player we really wanted. If we also get Aubamayang, how will he Lacazette, Mkhitaryan and Ozil fit in the same side?
Let’s face it, in isolation this is a bad deal and only becomes a good deal when you factor the contract situation and the fact that Aub will hopefully be coming. If we were smart and could negotiate, we could have gotten Martial. Then again, if we could negotiate then soooo many things…
Good news, a Wenger ball playing player added to the mix, with a Thierryesc striker joining too
I’m going to call him Mr Ctrl c+v. It’s better for all of us.
last time we sold van persie, we went shopping spree. hehe, i have a recurring feeling
Last time we sold VP.. ? – are we selling him again ??
Nobody mentioning we could be reuniting Mkhi and Auba. Where do you think those 36 assists came from?
And no more giving the ball away 34 times in a game – was I the only one frustrated with how often our counter attacks broke down because Sanchez wanted to do an extra swivel turn?
Knowing what we know about how Sanchez plays do people really think he’s going to fit into this United team, or any Mourinho team? Sure, the guy can produce magic when given license, but will he get it?
The first time he loses the ball by dribbling down a dark alley will make Jose’s head pop.
Not saying mkhy isn’t a great footballer but, I really wish we would’ve been a little more aggressive in trying to sign Martial instead