Henrikh Mkhitaryan staying at Roma next season as Arsenal give up on swap deal for Kluivert

HENRIKH MKHITARYAN will join Roma on a permanent deal from Arsenal, according to reports.

The Armenian international has spent the season on loan with the Serie A side, making 19 appearances in all competitions.

Mkhitaryan, 31, had initially agreed a loan extension to see out the rest of the season after it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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And journalist Fabrizio Romano suggests that the two clubs have come to an agreement over a permanent switch with Mikel Arteta seeing no future for the former Manchester United man.

Mkhitaryan told the club's website following his extension: "I'm very pleased.

"I'm happy to extend my stay here, because I still have things that I haven't achieved yet that I want to achieve.

"I'm looking forward to it."

But any talk of a swap deal with the highly-rated Justin Kluivert has been quashed.

Reports in Italy claimed that Arsenal were hoping to use Mkhitaryan as a makeweight to land the Dutchman with Arteta keen on bolstering his squad on the cheap.

Roma value the winger, 21, at up to £36m and would play hardball because they have to pay ten per cent of any fee over £18m to his former club Ajax.

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Like most clubs, Arsenal will not be able to finalise their plans for the next transfer window until they know whether they will be playing in Europe next season.

Meanwhile Arteta is willing to offload hot-headed midfielder Matteo Guendouzi as a makeweight to land their transfer targets on the cheap.

Arteta knows his best chance of landing high-profile players is to work shrewdly and is prepared to offer swap deals and land season-long loan deals.