It seems that a move for Armenian playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan could still be possible after the Borussia Dortmund man supposedly gave Liverpool hope in any pursuit for him by keeping himself open to a possible move. As such, the rumor mill has been churning and Liverpool all of a sudden are supposed to reignite their interest in a player they failed to sign one year back.
Last summer, Liverpool failed to sign Mkhitaryan from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk as he chose to join Dortmund due to the opportunity of playing Champions League football for the German side, something that Liverpool could not provide thanks to their seventh place finish the season before.
Move forward 9 months and the scenario has changed completely- Liverpool all of a sudden are playing some of the best football in Europe and even a title challenge doesn’t seem out of the question. Champions League qualification is almost certain and Liverpool is currently one of the best attacking sides in Europe. So the question is should Liverpool go for Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the summer?
When Liverpool were courting Mkhitaryan last summer, they were in need of his services badly as Liverpool was looking for a player who could run the game in an offensive capacity from just behind the central striker. His skillset fit in perfectly with what Liverpool were looking for and hence there was great disappointment when he did not join.
However, now Liverpool have changed their entire setup and play either in a modified form of 4-3-3 with Suarez and Sturridge taking turns in a wider role or sometimes even a 4-4-2 with both Suarez and Sturridge playing centrally. Philippe Coutinho has adapted his game to be the most offensive minded of the midfield three and the current setup seems to be working fine for Liverpool.
Hence, the question actually is do Liverpool really need Mkhitaryan? While one can never have enough quality players in the side, his role in the current team would be much different to the one he currently play for Dortmund. His numbers are eerily similar to those of Coutinho, barring one- his shooting is much more accurate and as a result, his goal tally is higher than Coutinho’s.
So bringing in Mkhitaryan would mean that Liverpool would have two very similar players fighting for possibly one place in the side, or worse still it might force Brendan Rodgers to alter the setup to accommodate both Mkhitaryan and Coutinho which could be detrimental to the side. It might mean that Coutinho might have to revert to a wider role once again and that could also block the development of Raheem Sterling who has been outstanding this season.
Mkhitaryan has 6 goals and 7 assists in Bundesliga this season. A player of his quality will always managed to carve out a space in the team, and he might even be Gerrard’s successor should the Liverpool management so decide. However, considering that Liverpool have limited financial resources and a very thin squad there are other areas that need more urgent attention and Mkhitaryan should not be at the top of this summer’s shopping list.