Manchester United have requested that Henrikh Mkhitaryan does not turn out for Armenia this international break, the Daily Mail reports.

The 27-year-old summer signing from Borussia Dortmund has not played for three weeks because of a thigh problem and United want him to continue rehabilitating.

Mkhitaryan started training with the rest of Jose Mourinho’s squad at Carrington last week but United wrote to the Armenian Football Federation to ask if they could leave their captain out.

He is set to miss two crucial World Cup qualifiers against Romania and Poland after an opening games defeat by Denmark.

Mourinho had appeared to indicate that Mkhitaryan would be fit for Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Stoke City at Old Trafford, but that game was deemed too early.

He has made just one start for United since the £26million switch, the Manchester derby defeat during which the midfielder played just 45 minutes.

United penned a letter asking if Mkhitaryan could be withdrawn from the national team and in it they claimed he is not yet completing full training.

Club doctor Steve McNally wrote: "Although his progress has been good over the past week, he is participating in limited aspects of team training and is not yet able to train fully without restrictions or play competitively.

"In view of that I would be grateful if he could be allowed to withdraw from the National Team for the forthcoming training camp and FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches in order to remain in Manchester to complete his rehabilitation."