Riyad Mahrez discussed by Claudio Ranieri
Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri has urged Riyad Mahrez to stay at the club, as they will be able to offer him a more prominent role than other clubs.
According to ESPN FC, the Italian said:
I think Mahrez for us is very important as our light. If he goes in another big team, there are so many lights, so many stars, why?Stay with us, it's much better, much better. He's our champion. If he goes in another team, there are so many champions.He knows me, I know him very well and I understand when he plays so-so and I can permit to stay on the pitch. When another manager, when he plays so-so, there are so many other stars I put him on the bench.It's important you give confidence. But if you put him on the bench he gets down. I think, I hope he can stay with us because it's important for us and it's important for him.
Mahrez enjoyed a phenomenal campaign last year as he bagged 17 goals and 11 assists in the Premier League, earning him the PFA Player of the Year award.
His pace and trickery out wide, coupled with his vision and composure in front of goal, make him an outstanding player. Squawka Football highlighted his dribbling ability:
Indeed, he's a significant upgrade on the likes of Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Football writer Oli Price-Bates would welcome him to the club, though he also suggested Julian Draxler might be a viable alternative:
Would you rather.. (presuming both would cost £42m)
either
Ranieri is clearly trying to keep hold of his brightest star, but he has a point—while Mahrez would be one of relatively few players who could add natural width to the Leicester side, he'd be competing for one of the Gunners' three attacking-midfield slots.
Arsenal already have quite a few players competing for those, including Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Aaron Ramsey andSanti Cazorla among others—the Algerian wouldn't enjoy the same status he does with the Foxes.
From the Gunners' point of view, as good as Mahrez is, it should be considered whether the money required to prise him from the King Power Stadium would be better spent elsewhere—on a top striker, for example.
Arsenal have plenty of attacking midfielders who can score goals and create chances—even if not many are better than Mahrez—but they lack a centre-forward capable of finding the net each week and without that a title challenge may still be beyond them even with the winger on board.
DENIS CHARLET/Getty Images
Meanwhile, Arsenal are reportedly being "too greedy" in their attempts to offload Mathieu Debuchy to Bordeaux, according to French outlet RMC (h/t James Cambridge of the Express).
The Frenchman was sent there on loan in January, and the Gunners are hoping to make his stay there permanent, but the Ligue 1 outfit "will not be willing to pay a high fee" or match his £70,000 per week wages.
Debuchy has been beset with unfortunate injury problems during his time at the Emirates, so Arsenal's desire to move him on is understandable.
However, so too is Bordeaux's caution, especially as he was restricted to just nine outings for them last season. Arsenal may simply have to cut their losses on him if they're to get him off their books.
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