Arteta speaks on the possibility of Mkhitaryan return next season
Henrikh Mkhitaryan could still have a future at Arsenal, according to Mikel Arteta.
The midfielder is currently on loan at Roma but the deal expires at the end of this season and the Gunners could still welcome him back into the fold.
Mkhitaryan, 31, has made a relative success of things in Italy bagging six goals and three assists in 13 games at the Stadio Olimpico.
And his form could be a welcome bonus to Arsenal who face losing Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the summer if they do not qualify for the Champions League.
Aubameyang’s £300,000-a-week wage demands could also force the Gunners to cash in on the 30-year-old Gabonese.
Despite not having worked with former Manchester United man Mkhitaryan, Arteta says he always admired his flexibility.
Speaking ahead of West Ham’s visit to the Emirates today, Arteta said: “I always liked him.
“He is the kind of player who can fit in any team when he is at his best, he needs to do it consistently and that’s what we need to assess.
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“It’s a possibility that we have and will consider.”
While the winger’s return may benefit Arsenal, it remains to be seen whether Mkhitaryan will want to stay put.
Speaking shortly after his move to the Italian capital, he said: “The last month at Arsenal I was not getting pleasure, so that’s why I said it was better to come to Roma and to get happy and to get the pleasure from playing football again.”