If the latest Arsenal transfer rumours are right, then Arsene Wenger has already agreed terms with the Leicester City and Algeria international star Riyad Mahrez and his people about his move to north London this summer. Reading between the lines of what Claudio Ranieri has been saying as well, it appears to me as though the Italian is almost resigned to losing his star player.
Ranieri may still be hoping to persuade Mahrez to follow in the footsteps of his teammate Jamie Vardy in rejecting the chance to join the Gunners but I do not think he believes he will be successful, so with Metro reporting the news from Algeria about the agreement with Mahrez having been in place for some time already, why are we waiting?
One reason that strikes me is that Arsenal are due to travel to the King Power to face the Foxes in our second match of the Premier League season and I am sure that Ranieri would not want Mahrez lining up against his former club. Could it be that Leicester are making us wait until after the play us before completing the sale of Mahrez?
Perhaps Ranieri thinks that there is still a chance of keeping him and if they can get off to a good start, including a win over Arsenal, it might just sway things in his favour. Do you think this might be the reason for the delay?
Bob.