In the few days before the game yesterday, the sports papers and websites had been full of Arsenal transfer rumours linking us with the Leicester City and Algeria international star Riyad Mahrez, with talk about a bid of around £40 million being readied and with the player said to have decided to make the move away from the King Power stadium and the Premier League champions.
That may well still happen and the papers today have not eased up on the rumours, but I cannot help but wonder what the inclusion of Mahrez in the Leicester team that faced the Scottish champions Celtic at the International Champions Cup means to our transfer hopes.
If Leicester were ready to sell then I do not think he would have played, so it is clear that Ranieri is at least trying to stop his star player from leaving. The Italian’s words after the match, reported by Sky Sports, were full of bluster and confidence although that does not necessarily mean that he will get his wish. The fact that he also tried to hint that Mahrez might not get the same regular football if he joined the Gunners and that this could affect his form told me that Ranieri is not convinced that the transfer deal will not happen.
The Leicester boss said, “Did you see how Riyad is happy? He played so well, worked so hard for the team, he scored a goal and he stays with us.
“It is very important [to keep him] he is one of our stars.
“Other teams maybe have more stars and maybe he doesn’t play at the same level, because maybe is on the bench so it is much better he stays with me.
“I am always confident [of keeping players]. Of course, we know that there are other teams that want to win the Premier League, we our just to defend.”
Mahrez did play well and scored the fantastic only goal for the Foxes, which does support Ranieri’s words, but will that hurt Arsenal’s transfer hopes or make Arsene Wenger even more determined to sign him?
we knew he wasnt coming, we just like torturing ourselves.
gooners are bdsm enthusiasts at heart
spank me transfer rumours . spank me
The reason why this transfer won’t happen is jack and Ramsey, with an already packed midfield arsene has suggested they will play on the right. Don’t get me wrong I would love mahrez but I think we could still win the league without him, only a striker and a change of tactics are holding us back. Personally out of all the rumors the van persie one seems the most arsenal thing ever
Why aren’t we making a cheeky bid for Rashford or chicarito?
@Redeye
Chicharito would be just right for us. Quick, agile and a fox in the box type of striker…
Kante was probably in a same situation. However when Chelsea came calling with a realistic offer, they sold him.
Same can’t be said about us obviously..
Hahahaha………… As we speak, Mahrez is still flying enroute London
on twitter, there are over 5 different photos of folks snapshotting with Mahrez in London….. And in each of those pix, Mahrez is seen putting on different shirts……Hahahaha…….
Tells the whole story!
Talking of shirts and Mahrez ?
Adidas were selling Chelsea number 7 shirt’s with Mahrez’s name on the back ? On their website. Apparently they done the same with Mkhitaryan’d name on Utd shirt’s, aweek before his move was announced…. Here we go again!
What sort of title is this. The only person destroying our transfer plans is Wenger. He wants to gamble and wait until deadline day to see if clubs will be desperate to sell. That was why he talked about Arsenal playing poker.Meanwhile a wiser manager will do everything possible to conclude club transfers before the season begins so he will know his team and start well. Upon all his years of experience he still thinks the likes of Ramsay, Walcot , AOC , and that snail of a German can win the league.
Nasri played preseason game for Arsenal and a game against Liverpool in the season before moving to man city… #Just Saying.
Mahrez can still leave Leicester.. .Mahrez could end up at Leicester this season … It all depends on if we really want him. That means putting down a bid
No bid have been submitted by Arsenal, so who is spoiling show for us? Ourselves. Mahrez will come if we want him and pay for him. They can’t beg you to buy their best player. We bought Ozil for 42m not because Wenger liked spending up to that amount on player, but because as at that time fans were so angry that nothing was happening and we were not doing well at the beginning of that season. Mahrez is worth that 42m. Wenger pay and get him.
Mahrez is worth more than Ozil. He is worth well over 50million pounds. That`s how good he is. I won`t be surprised if City sign him for 55million. He makes Leicester dangerous, not Vardy. I am almost certain Arsenal will not sign him,just because of Wenger who is not sure footed of which destination he is taking the club to.
We had to wait on Bale transfer before we could get Ozil that year and he was worth the wait.
Well Higuain wasn’t suppose to move to Juventus yet he is now from what it seems a Juve player. A coach saying that he wants to keep his best players specialy when you just lost Kanté is simply normal, the obvious.
Mahrez is there creative hub he not only scores but dribbles and create countless opportunities for the likes of Vardy & others to shine.
That doesn’t mean that we can’t get him IF Arsenal & Wenger are serious about him and spending big to quote the coach than he is the man. After letting go Mikhitaryan the only 2 proper wingers that we could move and would be available at the right pirce: Mahrez & Draxler.
I would be more than happy with Mahrez on the right wing…danger would be coming from everywhere with Ozil, Sanchez & him. Why not sweeten the deal and give up Walcott or even Campbell at worse plus cash. At least they would get a decent player in return plus some money to buy one extra.
We should offer 58m pounds to Napoli and see if they would prefer to sell to us, even their fans would say go with Arsenals offer. 58m pounds is about 65m in euros. Remember city advances towards RVP, unsettled him and then offered more, but we took utds bid. Napoli would consider this I feel, Italian clubs hate other Italian clubs, especially the ones in Rome. It’s only slightly over ten mil the difference.
I personally feel that IF we have that kind of money to spend on 1 player, a forward player add 5 more and go for Aubameyang or make a 40 millions pound offer for Icardi! He wouldn’t have to do so much as required with Inter (being the capitain and all)!
Not only would he benefit from a better midfield creation wise but he would have to do one thing and one thing only which is score goals. He’s a little bit troublesome off the pitch but has progressed each and every year as far goalscoring goes and yet to hit his prime.
Again IF getting Walcott off your wage bill can happen in the process than we come out as winners of the deals.
Marhez like Kante is French, always thought that these two would definitely be leaving. I still think this is the case, Ranieri is like Wenger, if they want out he will try talking them around, but ultimately he will not stand in anyone’s way. So we have to go in here and ramance the crap out of him, he will hear allot of nice things from Ranieri, and che will offer him the world. And these are just a few of the many clubs chasing after him.
Arsene said that he doesn’t want to name targets because if they fail people will ask why!, this is not a good reason for not naming targets, people want answers, and all you give them is your word that “we are active”. There are other reasons for not naming targets, but afterwards if we are empty handed, you should come clean and give some details. Maybe we’d learn better from it that way, might get advice or ideas from an unlikely source. We are active, hmm, but just how active are we. Are we active, or are we reactive, i think many would say we more reactive than we are active. If your wondering why I’m saying active an awful lot, you must not have read Wengers latest words.
Algerian i think not French or he wouldve been in euros.
My bad, I think that’s the second time I done that.
Mahrez no.7 Chelsea shirt was spotted on adidas website. He’s going to the bridge. Damn. No one else available
Hes in london to sign fr chelsea nt us .
welllll ok next rumor pls
loved muff post lol
If anybody seriously believes that we can’t financially out muscle Leicester, take a look at the accounts. It is just more evidence of Kroenke squeezing the pips out of the fans while putting nothing into the club. Arsenal will never change with this leech in charge.
If mahrez leaving leicester was a nearly done deal then I would have expected him not to play.
Ranieri’s comment “Other teams maybe have more stars and maybe he doesn’t play at the same level, because maybe is on the bench so it is much better he stays with me” this suggests to me that there is an offer on the table or in the pipeline for mahrez but no decision has been made. In these circumstances I would expect mahrez to play, to get him to feel part of the team and stay.
It looks to me like there is an offer, who from is another matter.a