Arsenal-Man United deal delayed due to Mkhitaryan pay rise demand

PanARMENIAN.Net - Arsenal-Manchester United swap deal involving Alexis Sanches and Henrikh Mkhitaryan is being delayed as the Armenia international wants an increase on his £150,000-a-week deal, Mirror reports.

Arsenal reportedly remain confident the deal will get done this week with both players valued at around £35 million.

But Mkhitaryan’s agent Mino Raiola has laid out a set of demands after insisting the United midfielder is in no rush to leave Old Trafford.

Mkhitaryan, 28, has got three and a half years left on his £150,000-a-week contract, wants a pay rise to go to Arsenal and will also want a “golden handshake” to leave United.

Raiola wants a big agent commission - more than £5m - and it is believed he will use the opportunity to try and renegotiate future terms for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, another of his clients.

Arsenal want a player-plus-cash deal but it is proving difficult to agree as Sanchez only has six months left on his deal while Mkhitaryan is younger and has longer terms so it is closer to being a straight swap.

United boss Jose Mourinho has admitted, meanwhile, that he dropped Mkhitaryan for the clash against Stoke because of speculation about his future.

Mourinho claimed he was trying to "protect" the Armenian by leaving him out.