Henrikh Mkhitaryan insists that money was not a factor when he was deciding on his future in the close season, Goal.com reports.
The Armenia international joined Borussia Dortmund from Shakhtar Donetsk in June after being the subject of much speculation linking him with a move to the Premier League, with Liverpool, the club who came closest behind BVB in their pursuit.
However, the 24-year-old says that he is driven solely by football reasons and that the chance to potentially earn more in England was irrelevant.
“Yes, I had many options,” Mkhitaryan told Die Welt, “but I decided on Dortmund because I like the type of football that is played here.
“Since we played with Shakhtar in the Champions League against BVB, I’ve watched all Dortmund games on TV. BVB has not only played fantastic football but also a [style of] football that suits me. I thought: ‘This is a team where I can grow, can develop’.
“Money is not so important in football. There’s only room for football. I live football, think football, feel football, and if I play well, the money comes anyway.
“I have come to Dortmund to play and not to sit on the bench, as might initially have been the case in England.”
Mkhitaryan is delighted at the news that coach Jurgen Klopp has signed a new contract, keeping him at the club until 2018.
“That’s really good news,” he added. “It’s really fun to work with him. It’s just a joy to talk to him. Jurgen Klopp is a great coach and a great man.”
