Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hinted that he knows the story behind Leicester winger Riyad Mahrez recent spat with his club, but decided to keep reasonably quiet.
The Algerian international has been strongly linked with moves away from the Walkers Stadium in recent transfer windows, but has not been allowed to exit the club despite him supposedly handing in a transfer request on more than one occasion.
Mahrez was key in helping the Foxes to lift the Premier League title in the 2015-16 campaign, and was rightfully nominated as the PFA Premier League Player of the Year in that season, and those performances put him right in the limelight, and attracted plenty of interest from potential suitors.
Clubs were believed to have come in with attempts to pry him from Leicester, and at the time, it was claimed that an agreement was made with the hierarchy that should he agree to stay, he would be granted his wish the following summer should the right offer come in for him.
The following 12 months did not go as well for the star, and interest is thought to have been minimal in the summer, and he didn’t get his desired move to a top club. but he has smashed his way back into form this season, and Manchester City came in with two big offers for him come January, and he was refused his exit.
RM moved to once again hand in a transfer request in the dying days of the transfer window upon knowledge of the interest from Pep Guardiola’s side, but his club played hard-ball and ended up failing to agree his sale, despite a reported offer in excess of £60 Million.
If Mahrez did in fact have agreement with his club that he could move if the right offer came in, and that was then rejected, surely more fingers should be pointed at the club?
Wenger hinted today that you would hope that all clubs and players would ‘behave well’, whereas much of the talk recently has all been around the player’s unprofessionalism, hinting that he knows more on the subject than those reporting, and naming the club as also misbehaving.
If Mahrez was promised a move, are the club getting their just deserves? Should Wenger not defend the player if he knows that the club is also in the wrong?
Pat J