Manchester United have finally concluded the reported 26.3 million pound signing of Armenian footballer Henrikh Mkhitaryan on a four-year deal from the German giants Borussia Dortmund.
Mkhitaryan joins United on the back of a stellar season notching up 21 goals and 20 assists across 50 appearances in all club competitions for Borussia Dortmund.
He was also crowned the Bundesliga Player of the Season, scoring 11 times and assisting in a further 15 goals in 28 appearances during the domestic league tilt.
Mkhitaryan has been at his most damaging playing as an attacking midfielder on the right, this position has been recently troublesome for Manchester United with not enough output. Juan Mata has been the most solid performer on that side but it is not his natural position.
There is also a history between Jose Mourinho and Juan which could see him out of the club before kicking a ball in anger this season. Antonio Valencia had also made the right his own but has been deemed too one dimensional and preferred in a right back position.
Mkhitaryan’s main attributes are his ability to pick out a pass, averaging 2.6 key passes across the Bundesliga and Europa League. Then there’s his eye for goal. What is also impressive for Mkhitaryan is his defensive work.
He averages 1.9 tackles per appearance and 1.5 interceptions per appearance compared to Juan Mata who averages 0.7 tackles and 0.5 interceptions per appearance from a similar position.
Jose Mourinho will be sure to love that defensive aspect of Mkhitaryan’s game and it would’ve been a major factor in signing him.
He is no stranger to big crowds or big games and at the age of 27 he should have the temperament and maturity to deal with the not only the Old Trafford pressure but also the fish-bowl that is the English Premier League.
Mkhitaryan has been brought into the team to help stabilise the right side and to make an instant impact in terms of scoring goals, assisting and putting in a shift defensively when needed.
He along with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial will make United fans forget about the last three years of drab football to forge together to make many a dazzling moment and memory.
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