Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is reportedly interested in signing wantaway Leicester star Riyad Mahrez in the summer.
According to Neil Ashton of the Sun, Arsene Wenger is keen on roping in Leicester City’s wing wizard Riyad Mahrez as the Algerian is reportedly unhappy with life at the King Power Stadium, and is looking to leave the club a year after winning the title with them.
On Tuesday, Sky Sports reported that Mahrez officially handed in a transfer request at the club, stating that the time is right to make a move away. In fact, the player submitted an official statement in which he said,
“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.”
The Algerian thanked the Leicester fans for their undying support, and also thanked the members in the boardroom for handling matters professionally. He admitted that he made up his mind to leave last summer, but after discussing with the chairman, he opted to stay on for another year.
With the player set to move, Arsenal have been back in the fold for him, after being linked with him as well as his colleague Jamie Vardy throughout last summer. The Gunners came closer to signing the Englishman than they did with Mahrez, but both of them stayed on at the King Power.
Arsenal ended a woeful campaign on a high note by beating Chelsea in the final to win the FA Cup. However, their Premier League campaign left a lot to be desired as the Gunners missed out on a top-four place and Champions League qualification for the first time in almost a twilight.
Due to the lack of silverware, the Frenchman was being linked with an exit after serving the club for over two decades. Fans had turned against the manager, and the club was in an extremely sorry state of affairs.
It seemed at a point in time that Wenger could be relieved off his duties at the end of the season, but he now appears to have agreed to a two-year contract extension (via BBC), and the club could announce it within a few hours.
This will see the Frenchman retain control of player recruitment, and Mahrez could be one of the first names to walk through the door in the summer. The Gunners have craved for a quality right winger, and the Algerian could be the answer to their woes.
His arrival could see Wenger move to his tried and tested 4-2-3-1 system next season, with Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil playing along with Mahrez in behind the lone striker. Whether or not Mahrez would be willing to miss out on Champions League football remains to be seen.
