Henrikh Mkhitaryan has said that Jose Mourinho wanted him to stay at Roma this summer but he chose to come to Inter instead, according to a report in the Italian broadcast media.
Speaking during an interview with DAZN previewing Inter’s season, via FCInternews, the Armenian discussed his decision to sign for the Nerazzurri on a free transfer rather than continue his time in Rome with the Giallorossi.
When asked if former Inter coach and now Roma boss Jose Mourinho asked him to stay, he admitted that it was true.
“Yes, it is true. Not only him, but also the club. In the end we couldn’t reach an agreement, so I made the decision to leave. It was good for me and for Roma because now they got Dybala, I’m very happy for them.”
He then talked about other factors that led to him choosing Inter. Primarily it was conversations with Edin Dzeko who was also at Roma until last summer and Matteo Darmian and Romelu Lukaku who he played with at Manchester United.
“Lukaku, Dzeko and Darmian, my former teammates, had spoken to me a lot about this group. I felt good from day one, part of a family. I was sorry to leave Roma, I had three good years there and won a trophy.
“However, everyone knows that football changes quickly and at 33 I still want to win.”
When asked what sort of version of Romelu Lukaku he has found at Inter this summer, he said he is even stronger than before.
“We had six good months at Manchester United, we understood each other well on the pitch and it will happen here too. I found him again stronger.”
