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Liverpool must pay £20m for Shakhtar star Henrikh Mkhitaryan
LIVERPOOL will have to pay at least £20 million to secure Armenian playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan this summer from Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk.
Mkhitaryan - who has been heavily linked with Liverpool over the last few months - will cost at least £20m after Shakhtar placed a lofty price-tag on their star player.
However, it is thought that Reds manager Brendan Rodgers is prepared to meet such a valuation for the 24-year-old, with Luis Suarez's potential departure to Real Madrid not dependant on the deal after West Ham agreed to pay £15m for Andy Carroll.
The Armenian international has previously aired his desire to play in the Premier League, and could do so next season after a strong campaign in Ukraine.
"For every player to play for the strongest clubs in the world is a dream, and I will do everything possible to move this summer to a different team," said Mkhitaryan.
Rodgers' other midfield targets Christian Eriksen of Ajax - who is close to a switch to Borussia Dortmund - and Newcastle's Hatem Ben Arfa - wanted by Monaco - look to have passed the Northern Irish boss by already.
But unsettled Slovakian defender Martin Skrtel could be used as a makeweight for Mkhitaryan, who is a wanted man across Europe.