Manchester United considered signing Henrikh Mkhitaryan before he joined Borussia Dortmund with Sir Alex Ferguson a fan of his ability, according to his former assistant Rene Meulensteen.

Mkhitaryan is thriving under Jose Mourinho after a £27million summer move from the Bundesliga club but his arrival at Old Trafford could have happened much sooner had the stars aligned under Ferguson.

Meulensteen, who formed part of Ferguson's backroom team during his pomp, says he remembers watching Mkhitaryan at Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk before Ferguson decided against a bid because he did not think the midfielder was ready.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan of Manchester United in action during the FA Cup match vs Blackburn

Speaking to talkSPORT, the Dutchman said: 'When he was much younger, before he joined Dortmund, we were actually looking at him. I remember the name very clearly!

'We felt he was not ready but he is, in my opinion, a typical Man United player. He is quick, he is creative, he has got assists in him, he has got goals in him.

'I am really, really pleased he has found his feet and is performing to his best.'

Mkhitaryan was watched by Manchester United during his days with Shakhtar Donetsk

Sir Alex Ferguson decided the young Armenian was not ready for the Premier League

Mkhitaryan is now a key part of Mourinho's first team at Old Trafford, but it did not start off that way. The 28-year-old was well down the pecking order at the start of the season before eventually playing his way into the Special One's plans.

Luke Shaw has suffered the reverse, playing early on before finding himself out of the picture. Mourinho has used the Armenian playmaker as a perfect example for Shaw to follow.

Mourinho said of Shaw: 'Potentially, he has many things that I like but one thing is potentially, another thing is on the pitch to express all the qualities that I like a player to express.

'And he has to keep working, like Mkhitaryan did for a long time.'