Arsenal news: Henrikh Mkhitaryan opens up on his Emirates loan exit

What's the story?

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has revealed that the lack of game time at Arsenal forced him to consider joining AS Roma on-loan during the deadline day of the recently concluded transfer window.

In case you didn't know...

The Armenian spent one-and-a-half-year at the Emirates Stadium, having joined the club from Manchester United as a part of a swap deal involving Alexis Sanchez in January 2018. He played 59 games for the Gunners, scoring nine and assisting 13 goals in the process.

However, the 30-year-old struggled to find consistency in his performances during his stint at the club, which prevented him from cementing his place in the starting XI. He managed to start just 19 league games last season and was also criticised for his inability to show up against the big sides.

The arrivals of Dani Ceballos during the summer forced him further down the pecking order and he only started one of Arsenal’s opening four league games prior to his departure.

The heart of the matter

Mkhitaryan revealed that the lack of playing time was one of the major reasons behind his departure from the Emirates Stadium.

He said:

"Everything happened in the last day right after the Tottenham game I got a call from my agent.

"He told me that I have to fly to Rome the next day to have a medical with the team and also sign a contract.

"It is a great opportunity for me as I didn’t get a lot of playing time."

What's next?

Mkhitaryan could make his debut for AS Roma when they square off against Sassuolo at the Stadio Olimpico after the international break.

Meanwhile, Arsenal will travel to Vicarage Road to face Watford when the Premier League returns after the international break.