Jose Mourinho: Mkhitaryan did not do enough to adapt

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Henrikh Mkhitaryan left Manchester United to join Premier League rivals Arsenal
He moved to The Emirates as part of a swap deal involving Alexis Sanchez
United boss Jose Mourinho has backed the Armenian to improve at Arsenal
However, he insists that the midfielder could have done more to fit in at United

Published: 08:55 EDT, 25 January 2018 | Updated: 10:58 EDT, 25 January 2018

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Jose Mourinho believes Henrikh Mkhitaryan can became a better player for Arsenal than he was at Manchester United, but claims the Armenian star could have done more to fit in at Old Trafford.

Mkhitaryan moved to the Emirates in a swap deal with Alexis Sanchez earlier this week just 18 months after joining United for £26million from Borussia Dortmund.

The 29-year-old was instrumental in United’s success in the Europa League last season, but there were reports that he did not see eye to eye with Mourinho over tactics and he was frozen out of the team in recent weeks.

Jose Mourinho was speaking to reporters ahead of the FA Cup fourth-round clash with Yeovil when he said he believed Henrikh Mkhitaryan could have done better at Manchester United

Mourinho believes Mkhitaryan is better suited to Arsenal’s style after Arsene Wenger claimed that the player had been affected by the experience, but the United boss could not resist having a little dig.

‘I believe Mkhi is going to be even better than he was with us,’ said Mourinho. ‘With one-and-a-half years in England, adapted, Arsenal play the way they think. I think it’s a good move for everybody, that's why I'm also happy for Mkhi.

‘Could he perform better with us? Could I take more from his talent? Maybe. Could he give a little more also to adapt to us? Maybe. But I don't have regrets.

Mourinho insisted that Henrikh Mkhitaryan could have done more to fit in at Old Trafford

'He's in our history, so good feeling for everybody and a very specific transfer between rivals in a big country which I have to say must happen more times.

Mourinho also compared United to Arsenal, saying one was a ‘fantastic’ club and the other was a ‘giant’. He added: ‘I think was a fantastic deal and a fantastic deal is only fantastic if it is good for everybody.

‘United and Arsenal made a fantastic deal. I lost a fantastic player, Mr Wenger lost a fantastic player. Alexis changed from a fantastic club to a giant club and Mkhi changed for a fantastic club. So was a great deal for everybody.’