Why Borussia Dortmund Can’t Afford to Lose Henrikh Mkhitaryan This Summer

With only one important game left to play this season for Borussia Dortmund—the DFB-Pokal final against Bayern Munich on May 21—transfer talk is already dominating the headlines.

It’s setting up to be a busy summer for the Black and Yellows’ decision-makers. If Dirk Krampe of local paper Ruhr Nachrichten (link in German) is to be believed, there’ll be more changes than in recent years, with a number of back-ups potentially on their way out.

The major questions, of course, still surround the big three: Mats Hummels, Ilkay Gundogan and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. All three have contracts that will expire in 2017, meaning Dortmund would need to sell them in the summer to get a fee.

Hummels apparently leans towards leaving for Bayern Munich, with Bild (link in German) reporting that player and club have already agreed on a four-year contract, while Gundogan’s transfer to Manchester City hinges on the clubs agreeing to a fee, per the Times’ Rory Smith.

Since chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke told German TV channel Sky (h/t ESPN FC) that “it’s ruled out that all three will not play for Borussia Dortmund next year,” one would assume that Armenia international Mkhitaryan will stay at the Westfalenstadion for at least one more year no matter what.

That doesn’t stop the international media from linking him with a number of clubs, however.

The Mirror’s Darren Lewis wrote that Chelsea “hope to tempt the 27-year-old Armenian, a former Liverpool target, to Stamford Bridge despite no [UEFA] Champions League football next season.” …

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