According to a recent report by the Daily Mirror, Arsenal are ready to part ways with Henrikh Mkhitaryan so that they can reduce their wage bill during the summer transfer period. The same source has also revealed that the Gunners are considering letting the Armenian midfielder leave along with Mesut Ozil as they are the two highest earners at the North London club.
Mkhitaryan made a slow start to this campaign but has found his feet in recent weeks. He has put in a few match-winning displays at the Emirates Stadium since the turn of the year. The Mirror has also stated that the Yerevan born talent is on a £180,000 per week contract which is why he might be shipped out of the club by Unai Emery as the Gunners boss tries to lower the overall wage bill of his team.
The Armenian’s departure could help the North London giants bring in some new players in the off-season. Hence, one can argue that it is a necessity to cash in on him this summer so that Arsenal can build a strong enough squad capable of winning some silverware in the coming years.
The 30-year-old has made 28 appearances for the Gunners this term, scoring six goals while grabbing six assists across all competitions. He is also vastly experienced at the international level having represented Armenia in 82 matches while scoring 27 goals for his nation thus far.
There is no doubt that Mkhitaryan still has a lot to offer on the pitch, but at 30, his performances on the pitch might be on the decline as his peak years are past him. However, it is quite challenging to acquire a player of Mkhitaryan’s ilk on today’s inflated market. Hence, the ex-Manchester United talent’s departure will significantly deplete the Gunners squad. But as long as Emery can find a suitable replacement for him, Arsenal should be in a good position heading into the new campaign.
All in all, it seems like the right decision by the North London giants to let their highest earners leave so that Emery can build his squad from scratch in the summer transfer period.
