Leaving the Foxhole
Leicester’s Player of the Year Mahrez set to join Arsenal
LONDON: Riyad Mahrez has decided to join Arsenal with a transfer imminent, according to reports in France.
The Algerian was named Professional Footballers Association (PFA) Player of the Year as Leicester shocked the world of football and won the English Premier League. However, Eurosport France have revealed Mahrez will leave the Foxes and move to the Emirates.
Arsenal will not have to pay around £40mil (RM213mil) to land their man.
Mahrez’s agent, Kamel Bengougam, was present at the Gunners’ pre-season friendly 1-1 draw against Lens on Friday – but has refused to comment on the story.
Leicester boss, Claudio Ranieri, recently insisted the attacker would not leave the King Power Stadium, saying: “It is over, the market is closed here.
“Mahrez wants to stay.”
It is believed those words were just a tactic to put pressure on the Algerian as the former Chelsea boss had accepted he would not stand in the way of any player who wanted to leave the club.
Mahrez moved to the Premier League from Le Havre for just £400,000 (RM2mil) in one of the bargains of the century in January 2014.
He shot to prominence during Leicester’s fairytale 2015-16 – netting 17 goals en route to their historic title.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger looks finally set to land a Leicester player following Jamie Vardy’s decision to snub Arsenal and stay with the Premier League champions.
Mahrez would be the fourth player to move to the Emirates following the signings of Granit Xhaka, Takuma Asano and Rob Holding.