Arsenal loanee Henrikh Mkhitaryan is reportedly prepared to take a pay cut in order to secure a permanent switch to Roma this summer.
The 31-year-old joined the Giallorossi on a season-long loan deal last summer, and while he has struggled with injuries at times, he has still managed six goals and four assists in 20 appearances.
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His current contract with Arsenal expires in 2021, and so while he prepares to return to north London at the end of this season, time will tell whether or not he will remain under Mikel Arteta or move on.
As reported by the Daily Mail, via the paper edition of Corriere dello Sport, it’s suggested that Mkhitaryan wants to stay ‘at all costs’ in the Italian capital and could even be willing to take a pay cut in order to try and smooth things over to reach an agreement with the Italian giants.
While that would make reaching an agreement on personal terms easier, there is of course the more significant obstacle of the two clubs finding a deal with the report adding that Roma hope €10m will be enough to secure the Armenian international permanently.
Time will tell if that’s enough for Arsenal to green light an exit, while it’s noted that the length of Mkhitaryan’s contract could yet be a stumbling block too as he wants a four-year deal.
Given he was shipped out on loan before Arteta’s arrival last year, it remains to be seen whether or not the Spaniard has any intentions of reintegrating him back into the squad.
If not, given his age and that he will have just 12 months remaining on his contract this summer, finding an agreement with Roma to move him on permanently would arguably be the smart move from Arsenal.