Arsenal: Is Henrikh Mkhitaryan alone enough?

It seems as though Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be swapping places with Alexis Sanchez. But is the unwanted creator enough of a replacement for Arsenal to cope with the loss of the Chilean?

The question of Alexis Sanchez’s departure was never going to rest on the process of his actual exit. For many months now, that has seemed somewhat inevitable. It was always going to happen. For Arsenal, the problem was not retaining Sanchez, it was replacing Sanchez.

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Arsene Wenger himself stated that he would have to sign ‘top quality’ players to replace the outgoing Chilean. So now that it seems as though we know who that player will be, it is fair to ask, are they of the quality that Wenger promised.

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The player I am referring to, of course, is Manchester United’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who is reportedly on his way to the Emirates in a swap deal with Sanchez. Wenger was surprisingly open about the transfer in his press conference on Thursday morning. When asked about whether the Sanchez exit involves Mkhitaryan, this is what he had to say:

"“That is my understanding, yes. Yes, of course [I like Mkhitaryan]. If it’s a possibility, it’s because I like the player. We played many times against him when he was at Dortmund. He certainly appreciated the quality of our game and the way we play football. That’s why certainly he loves the club as well.”"

Rarely is Wenger so honest with potential transfers. That suggests to me that this is a deal that is highly likely to be completed in the coming days. Wenger certainly thinks so. But still, the question remains: Is Mkhitaryan alone a good enough replacement for Sanchez?

If you were to judge the two players by their form in England, then the answer would be an irrefutable no. Sanchez has been one of the Premier League’s most threatening attackers, playing with an energy and intensity that elevates his performances above those around him; Mkhitaryan has sunk into the background at United, unwanted by Jose Mourinho, unpopular among the fans.

And, ultimately, these are not overly small sample sizes that can impact the results quite drastically. Many will reason that Mkhitaryan has struggled not because of his lack of talent or ability or even commitment but because of the way he has been managed. To some extent, that argument does have credence. But over 18 months, I would expect any player of a certain standard to impress themselves on their respective team, even with an unhelpful manager.

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So there are reasons to be cautious regarding Mkhitaryan’s ability to replicate Sanchez’s influence. In a straight swap, it doesn’t quite seem enough.