Manchester United identify Arsenal target Julian Draxler for transfer if Mkhitaryan deal fails

Jose Mourinho has asked Manchester United Ed Woodward to turn his attention to Julian Draxler should they fail to sign Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Borussia Dortmund. The midfielder is currently with the Germany national team competing in Euro 2016 and is plying his trade with Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga.

The Sunday People reports that Mourinho wants to get a deal done for either Draxler or Mkhitaryan, with the Armenian on top of his list of transfers. The 27-year-old is currently in his final year of contract but Dortmund are holding firm on their desire to see out his contract, having already allowed Mats Hummels and Ilkay Gundogan to leave the club this summer.

United will face competition from Arsenal, with Arsene Wenger talking up the 22-year-old in a recent interview. The Gunners are long term admirers of the midfielder and were heavily linked with the player before signing Mesut Ozil in 2013. The German international has scored five goals and assisted five in 21 appearances for the Bundesliga club and is rated at a fee in the range of £38m ($52m).

"At the moment I think most of the young talented players are in France," Wenger said, as quoted by the Metro. "We speak about (Anthony) Martial, we speak about (Kingsley) Coman, who are still about 20. And I've seen a very interesting young talent from Turkey – (Emre) Mor.

"You have as well some other players like (Leroy) Sane in Germany. It will be very interesting as well to follow what Draxler is doing, he's still a very young player."

Meanwhile, there has been some movement on the Mkhitaryan front, with German publication Bild stating that Dortmund have reconsidered their decision to hold on to the midfielder and could allow him to leave should their valuation be matched. The new development comes days after Mkhitaryan's agent Mino Raiola confirmed that the player was desperate to move to Old Trafford and was not willing to extend his contract with the Bundesliga club.