Riyad Mahrez has released a statement confirming his wish to leave Leicester City.
As quoted by Sky Sports, the Algerian explained:
“Out of the huge admiration and respect I hold for Leicester City Football Club I wanted to be totally honest and transparent with them and have therefore informed the club that I feel now is the time for me to move on.
“I had a good discussion with the chairman last summer and we agreed at that time that I would stay for another year in order to help the club as best as I could following the transition of winning the title and in the Champions League.
“However, I am fiercely ambitious and feel that now is the time to move on to a new experience.”
The playmaker joined the Foxes from Le Havre three and a half years ago, but it appears his time at the King Power is now coming to an end.
His exploits in Leicester’s title-winning campaign won him plenty of admirers, so there’s a high chance he’ll be staying in the Premier League.
And according to the Sun, he could be on his way to north London, as both Arsenal and Tottenham are keen.
Arsenal seems a more likely destination because of his wages. Mahrez signed a new deal with Leicester in 2016 to put him on £100,000 a week, and that may put him out of the reach of Tottenham, who only pay Hugo Lloris and Harry Kane in excess of six figures a week.
It would certainly be interesting to see him link up on the other side of the midfield alongside Mesut Ozil, if the German can be convinced into signing a new contract at the Emirates.
Tottenham are on the hunt for a playmaker of their own, but unless Mahrez is willing to take a pay cut, Mauricio Pochettino’s men are going to be outsiders.
Check out Football Advisor for profitable betting predictions
