Henrikh Mkhitaryan is relaxed about his future, which means Arsenal risk missing out on a surprise windfall this summer.
The attacking midfielder joined Serie A side AS Roma on-loan last summer and has impressed to a point where head coach Paulo Fonseca has publicly stated he's interested in a permanent deal for the Armenia international.
"Mkhi during this season got some injuries but he is returning now and he is proving his quality," Fonseca told Sky Sports News back in February. "Let's see. He is a player with great decisions on the pitch and I would also like to keep Mkhi in our team.
"I want him to stay and he also wants to stay," Fonseca told Great Football (via Il Messaggero) last month. "However, it should be clear that everything is now on hiatus, and we’ll have to talk to Arsenal.
"I want to continue working with him because he’s a great player and a great man."
Mkhitaryan himself is open to the idea of joining the Giallorossi permanently, but accepts the decision rests with his parent club and wouldn't be unhappy to continue his career in north London.
"Of course I would like to be at Roma next season, not only next season [but] for another few years," Mkhitaryan said on Futbol with Grant Wahl. "But I still have a contract with Arsenal and it’s not up to me.
"It's up to Arsenal and Roma if they will agree terms of the transfer fee.
"So my thinking is to train hard, to play hard, to look forward to what’s going to happen.
"Of course, if I’m not going to stay at Roma I have to go back to Arsenal.
"I'm not complaining, football life changes so quickly so you have to be ready to play wherever you are. ‘If not in Rome, I’m going to go back and play for Arsenal, if not, I’m going to stay here and play for Rome."
football.london revealed last month that Arsenal are keen to cash in on Mkhitaryan, the club's second-highest earner on nearly £200,000-a-week, and had previously hoped to earn a significant transfer fee, but such hopes are fading in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
£10m was the figure which Forza Roma reported was rejected during the January transfer window.
That could be the transfer fee that boosts Mikel Arteta's summer budget ahead of a big summer at the Emirates Stadium, but there needs to be an agreement between Arsenal and Roma otherwise the former will miss out on a welcome windfall.
