Ukrainian club looking to keep hold of Armenian midfielder.
Shakhtar Donetsk are looking to put off clubs considering making a bid for their midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan according to Tutto Mercato Web.
The Armenian captain has been putting in a number of impressive performances for the Ukrainian club this season and has been an integral part of the club’s successful Champions League campaign.
Reports in recent weeks had suggested that Liverpool were on the verge of making a £12 million bid for the player.
Anfield boss Brendan Rodgers is thought to believe that Mkhitaryan would be able to mould seamlessly into Liverpool’s high energy, passing brand of football.
But Shakhtar are hoping they will have priced the Premier League club out of a move after slapping a whopping £25 million transfer fee on the player.
That is almost certainly going to prove too much for Liverpool as Rodgers has already been told he will have just £20 million to spend on new recruits this summer.
The club could raise additional funds through the sale of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez but Liverpool are thought to be keen to hang on to their star forward.
That could leave the path open for the likes of Tottenham and Barcelona who have also been linked with a move for the player in recent months.