Manchester City have tabled a late bid for Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez, and the winger has subsequently submitted a transfer request to push for a move to the Etihad.
According to Sky Sports, Riyad Mahrez has submitted a transfer request to Leicester City in a bid to push for a move to Manchester City after the Premier League leaders tabled a bid of more than 50 million for the Algerian winger.
In a late development, Manchester City have had a surprise bid tabled for Riyad Mahrez and turned his head on a transfer to the Etihad in the last stages on Tuesday. This proposal comes only hours after signing Aymeric Laporte from Athletic Bilbao in a £53 million deal.
City were disappointed in their efforts earlier to sign Alexis Sanchez, as Manchester United pipped them to sign the Chilean from Arsenal. On the other hand a severe injury to their winger, Leroy Sane has compelled City to lodge a bid for the electric Algerian from Leicester.
Mahrez has not travelled with the Leicester squad to face Everton in midweek, and before that, he was absent from the Foxes’ training ground as well. This could well mean there have been talks about a transfer ongoing over at Leicester City.
Reports suggest the latest approach is the third City offer for Mahrez and is worth around £55 million. It says that City officials have made it clear how much money they want to offer, but Leicester have rejected the approaches citing the valuation of the player is more than the bid.
BREAKING: Sky sources: In the last hour @ManCity have made a third bid – thought to be for £55m – for @LCFC winger Riyad Mahrez. #SSN pic.twitter.com/bXNHIywexk
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 30, 2018
The reported offer that Leicester rejected is not said to be one submitted in writing. City could come back with a better offer if they are very serious about the player and a late bid could force Leicester’s hand in accepting anything reasonable and around their valuation of the player.
Earlier in the month, The Foxes’ manager Claude Puel suggested that Mahrez could be worth £100 million in the summer, but City have taken that as a hint to make a bid before the January window closes down.
Mahrez has been subject to transfer speculation right from the summer window when he handed in a transfer request after Roma lodged a £31.8 million bid, which was swiftly rejected by the Foxes, who in counter had asked for a fee in excess of £50 million.
Mahrez had also attracted interest from Arsenal who had reportedly courted him all summer, but there was no indication whatsoever that a bid was lodged for the Algerian in January.
The clock ticks to deadline day of the January transfer window and only in the next 24 hours will we know for sure if Mahrez to Manchester City may be happening.
