Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan is Man United’s long-term solution to Wayne Rooney - pundit
MANCHESTER UNITED don’t need to find a long-term replacement for Wayne Rooney, according to Ian Wright.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan is 'happy to be back'
Wayne Rooney, who missed Manchester United’s 3-1 Premier League win over Sunderland on Boxing Day with a thigh injury, is no longer a guaranteed starter.
The 31-year-old has been talked up with a move to China where he could be set for a big pay day if he leaves Old Trafford.
Jose Mourinho spent nearly £150m on new players over the summer.
One of them, Mkhitaryan, has had a mixed campaign so far.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan has turned things around at Manchester United after a slow start
Wayne Rooney is no longer a guaranteed starter under Jose Mourinho
Pogba is playing brilliantly. I think Mkhitaryan is the long-term replacement for Wayne Rooney
After initially failing to get a look-in, which in part was due to injury, the Armenian has helped United get their season back on track.
And former Arsenal star-turned-pundit Wright thinks Mkhitaryan is the natural long-term successor to Rooney.
“United didn’t start off brilliantly and they’ve been trying to get themselves going," Wright told BBC Five Live.
Ian Wright has been impressed with Henrikh Mkhitaryan
“Mourinho was working out his best team and who was going to play where. He’s got something with [Marcos] Rojo and [Phil] Jones at the back.
“Pogba is playing brilliantly. I think Mkhitaryan is the long-term replacement for Wayne Rooney.
“You know that with the quality of players they have, now they’ve got it going, you have to say Man United will be in and around it [at the end of the season].”
Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?