Leicester City manager Craig Shakespeare has today confirmed that the club have rejected a “low offer” for their star man, Riyad Mahrez.
The 26-year-old is almost certain to leave the 2015/16 Premier League champions after triggering a clause in his contract to let him leave for a top European club.
Arsene Wenger has been a huge fan of the Algerian and missed out on signing him last summer after Leicester held firm on keeping their big guns.
This time around it looks as if Arsenal stand a better chance of landing the winger, but it’s been confirmed they were NOT the club to submit an offer that The Tigers deemed unworthy.
Instead, it was AS Roma confirming their interest, which should act as a reminder to Wenger that Mahrez is up for grabs but also won’t come on the cheap following some of the crazy transfer fees that have floated around recently.
Reports have linked Mahrez to Arsenal as a back-up option if Wenger’s top target Thomas Lemar isn’t allowed to leave Monaco this summer.
Arsenal have already submitted two offers for Lemar but it’s becoming increasingly likely that Mahrez will be the more realistic signing over the next few weeks.
Whether Alexis Sanchez leaves or not, Wenger wants to get reinforcements on the flanks after letting Lucas Perez leave and apparently telling Theo Walcott he’s free to find a new club.
This seems like a transfer that could come down to the wire though as if Wenger can’t get Lemar through the door, will Mahrez be happy to stand as the ‘second-choice’.
Arsenal aren’t in any rush to get more names in but it does seem likely that having signed two important players already, Wenger could wait around to see how the market plays out.
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