Sportskeeda
Jan 5 2018
Should Borussia Dortmund make a move for Henrikh Mkhitaryan?
Henrikh Mkhitaryan is looking for a way out of Old Trafford, but should Borussia Dortmund make a move for their former star?
by Anas Ali
The story of ex-Borussia Dortmund players coming up after failing to hit the ground elsewhere, may once again come into the fold in the upcoming January window, as Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who moved to Manchester United, following his star-spangled 2015-16 season, is heavily linked with a move back to his former club.
It hasn't been the perfect season for the Armenian, who, despite a strong start to the season, has fallen down the pecking order in the Manchester United team sheet in recent weeks.
He has played only 157 minutes of football in the last couple of months, and after news which claimed that the Armenian star reportedly had a bust-up with Jose Mourinho during a training session, his stay at Old Trafford has become even more unlikely.
The player's agent has been in contact with the Borussia Dortmund representatives according to SportBild. Inter have also been linked with a move for the former Shakhtar playmaker, but according to reliable source Ruhrnachrichten, Dortmund have intensified their interest in the Armenian in recent weeks.
But should Borussia Dortmund really make a move to bring Henrikh Mkhitaryan back to the Bundesliga?
The move will conform to the trend
Over the years, there have been a bunch of players who moved back to Dortmund, following dismal stints in their respective new clubs with players like Mario Gotze, Nuri Sahin and even Shinji Kagawa, who was a Manchester United player for two years, being the prime examples.
In the current season, the club has really struggled to impose themselves on the pitch, following a startling start to their new campaign.
It was under new coach Peter Stoger, where the club has managed to register two back to back wins in the Bundesliga, ending an eight-game winless run in the process. However, things are still looking very ominous for the black and yellows.
With injuries to star players like Marco Reus, Mario Gotze, Andre Schurrle, Gonzalo Castro and Maximilian Philipp, amongst many others, Dortmund have been decimated in the offensive department this season.
Even though both Mario Gotze and Gonzalo Castro are nearing their return to the pitch, you can't really expect Dortmund to challenge the top dogs of European football just by relying on players like Gotze and Kagawa in terms of chance creation.
Dortmund's attack has been depleted by injuries
The acquisition of Andriy Yarmolenko has failed to make any significant impact at the Signal Iduna Park this season. Despite showing his glimpses at times, the Ukrainian has ultimately failed to make his presence felt at his new club.
He lacks the quality and the confidence to make himself a nuisance in the final third, which has ultimately led to Dortmund having to rely solely on the dribbling qualities of 19-year-old Christian Pulisic for the most part of this season.
Therefore, the addition of Henrikh Mkhitaryan would be an ideal decision, in this regard. The Armenian has the quality as well as the directness to act as their main source of creativity in the final third. Players like Mario Gotze and Shinji Kagawa are very creative but lacks the dynamism to make any telling impact.
Furthermore, Mkhitaryan had also prevailed in his role as a right midfielder in the past and his proficiency in working around tight spaces would be an ideal upgrade to Shinji Kagawa.
That being said, however, it's his wages which makes the deal look totally irrational.
Feasibility
Henrikh Mkhitaryan already bags about £140,000k a week, as per sources, which is rather high for someone playing in the Bundesliga. For example, new signing Maximilian Philipp earns the same wage as Mkhitaryan and the German attacker is already one of the brightest young talents in the Bundesliga.
It seems rather unconventional for Dortmund to splash the cash on a 28-year-old, whose career will invariably dip in the future. Instead, the black and yellows should avoid making the same mistake they made by spending €25 million on 29-year-old Andriy Yarmolenko.
Furthermore, Mkhitaryan was more or less a disappointment had it not been for his astonishing 2015-16 season where he was involved in a staggering total of 55 goals. In truth, he was woeful before the appointment of Thomas Tuchel, who was the one who realized the true qualities of the Armenian.
It is not guaranteed whether or not will Mkhitaryan manage to replicate his 2015-16 performance after coming back to the Bundesliga. In addition, it is also doubted if he'll manage to successfully integrate himself into the tactical philosophy of new coach Peter Stoger.
Conclusion
There is no doubting the fact that Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be an instant upgrade to any of the currently fit Dortmund attackers and his dynamism and fluidity will definitely help the team be more productive on the offensive third.
However, considering his enormous wages, coupled with other uncertainties, it's logical for Dortmund to step down their interest in the Manchester United playmaker, unless Premier League giants Manchester United agree to pay his wages, which seems rather far-fetched at the moment.