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Agent confirms £25m-rated Arsenal target could agree move

By on May 5, 2016

Arsenal have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Riyah Mahrez after the attacker’s agent admitted there is a 50% chance he’ll leave Leicester this summer, according to the Express.

Mahrez has undoubtedly been one of the stars of the season and his superb form for Leicester City recently saw him named as the PFA Player’s Player of the Year.

The Algerian international scored 17 goals and provided 10 assists in just 35 league games to help the Foxes lift a shock Premier League title this season.

It’s no wonder then that the winger has been attracting plenty of interest with Mirror reporting last week that Arsenal are keen to lure Mahrez away from the King Power this summer in a £25m deal.

Arsene Wenger is under increasing pressure to spend big after overseeing a disappointing campaign that saw our title hopes collapse in familiar fashion and Mahrez is exactly the type of signing the boss needs to get fans back on side.

It looks like we’ve been handed a timely boost in our pursuit as the attacker’s agent, Kamel Bengougam, has now come out and said that Mahrez would consider an offer from a ‘big team’ if it was put on the table.

Bengougam did say that the player was content at Leicester but believes there is still a 50% chance he’ll agree to move clubs this summer.

The agent is quoted as saying by the Express:

“When you have been playing the way Riyad has this season it is bound to attract attention. He is very happy with Leicester and of course it has been a fantastic season,”

“They will play in the Champions League next year as well so he would be happy to stay.

“But at his age if the opportunity comes to play for a big team then we would have to think about it. I’d say it’s 50/50 at the moment whether he stays or goes.

“We have interest from the UK and overseas.”

Leicester are hoping to persuade Mahrez to stay and are lining up a new contract but they won’t be able to offer the kind of money we can, so it’s going to be difficult for them to keep hold of him.

From an Arsenal perspective, it’s great to hear the agent already talking about a potential move and he’s clearly trying to drum up interest in his client, but I’m sure Leicester won’t be too happy about it.

If we were lucky enough to win the race for Mahrez’s signature, then I think we’ll see him come in as a direct replacement for Theo Walcott as the England international’s future at the Emirates looks bleak.

Theo has lost his place and frankly, it looks like he’s lost his desire to play for the shirt – if recent appearances are anything to go by. We should still be able to ask for a sizeable fee for Walcott and it would be money well spent if we could bring in Mahrez as a replacement.

And it could be a double swoop on Leicester as we’re also being tipped to trigger N’Golo Kante’s release clause – read more on that story here.

Kante and Mahrez….now that would be an excellent way to start the summer.

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