Leicester City’s owners are reportedly set for a meeting to discuss the futures of several players, including mooted Arsenal target Riyad Mahrez.
The Foxes’ top brass will meet in Los Angeles to discuss the future of Mahrez and others, according to Aidan Magee of Sky Sports News HQ:
"Leicester City’s owners and officials will meet in Los Angeles on Monday to discuss the future of a number of their key players, according to Sky sources.On the agenda will be the future of striker Riyad Mahrez, who has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal in recent days."
Magee also named other players, such as midfielder Danny Drinkwater, whose futures will be on the agenda, but it’s likely Mahrez who will dominate the discussion.
After all, Leicester will naturally want to keep the driving forced behind their shock Premier League title win last season. Mahrez inspired the Foxes with his now signature brand of mercurial trickery, lightning pace and perhaps the most dangerous left foot in the game.
It’s no wonder Arsenal are keen on the Algerian international. So keen in fact that a report from Ilyes Ramdani of Eurosport France recently indicated the Gunners had agreed a deal to sign the 25-year-old winger for €50 million.
It was a report Mahrez’s agent, Kamel Bengougam, was quick to deny, per the Guardian‘s Ed Aarons:
Riyad Mahrez's agent has denied there is any interest from Arsenal in player despite reports in France today #lcfc
— Ed Aarons (@ed_aarons) July 23, 2016
Bengougam had been present during Arsenal’s 1-1 friendly draw with RC Lens, something which appeared to add credibility to the rumours, per Andrew Richardson of the Sun.
Yet, BBC Sport’s John Bennett cited L’Equipe journalist Nabil Djellit providing some caution about reports suggesting any deal has already been done to send Mahrez to north London:
Nabil a man to trust on #Mahrez: "Situation far from what's been written. Interest yes. No direct talks with #LCFC." https://t.co/5JkLZGkWCB
— John Bennett (@JohnBennettBBC) July 23, 2016
Meanwhile, French radio station RMC, via Get French Football News, reported how Leicester are intending to block any move from the Gunners, despite Mahrez’s preference to leave:
Riyad Mahrez wants to join Arsenal, but no agreement between the clubs yet, Leicester are being difficult, according to RMC.
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) July 23, 2016
This rumour is something of a tangled web, but there’s nothing tough to decipher about Arsenal’s need for Mahrez. As a prolific supplier and scorer of goals, he’d instantly solve the troublesome right wing spot in manager Arsene Wenger’s squad.
Wenger has used strikers and central midfielders on that flank, none of whom have made the grade. Theo Walcott is the most obvious choice, but the jet-heeled England man’s desire to play as a central striker, along with his generally erratic form, always conspire to let the Gunners down.
Mahrez is the perfect solution for the dilemma position in Wenger’s front three. However, Leicester can’t let him go without a fight having already lost midfield destroyer N’Golo Kante, another linchpin of their title-winning squad, to Chelsea.
Still, the Foxes won the league by unearthing gems like Mahrez and Kante. Their confidence to repeat the trick might make selling the PFA Player of the Year easier to stomach, especially if they pocket €50 million to help find more future stars.
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