Roma boss Paulo Fonseca has reiterated his stance on signing Arsenal’s on-loan midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan permanently in the summer.

The Armenian has spent the whole season at the Stadio Olimpico after finding life with the Gunners tougher than he had expected.

The Giallorossi have yet to negotiate an option to buy for Mkhitaryan, but the Portuguese is keen to keep the Arsenal loanee. 

“I’ve already said it and I’ll say it again: I want Mkhitaryan to stay. Henrikh also wants to stay,” Fonseca has said, Football Italia reports.

“However, it must be said that everything is on pause right now. We still need to talk to Arsenal,” he added.

“I want to keep working with him. He’s a great player and a great man,” the Roma boss said.