Poor Mahrez left in limbo by Arsenal

From the first time that Riyad Mahrez made his statement that he hoped that Leicester would honour their verbal agreement from last summer to allow the Algerian to leave during this year’s transfer window it seemed certain that he would be moving to Arsenal. Even Arsene Wenger fuelled the rumours by stating: “Have we made a bid for him? No. Not yet. Not yet means it could happen, it could not happen,” said Wenger.

“I think he had a huge impact at Leicester when they won the championship, like everybody else,”

“It’s been a different season this year but it doesn’t take anything away from his qualities.”

That was five weeks ago, but there is still no real movement in the offing, and it would appear that Mahrez is very unhappy that Leicester have put such a large transfer fee on his head, while Wenger appears to have switched his interest to Thomas Lemar who is both 5 years younger and may be available for the same price.

If Arsenal do buy Lemar and Alexis Sanchez re-signs, then surely our interest in Mahrez would be ended. Then, as the Foxes manager Craig Shakespeare said: “He has to be professional. We have to be professional with him but, more importantly, he has to be committed and I think he has to show supporters, staff and players that.

“If he’s selected, he has to perform and if he doesn’t show commitment he won’t play. He’s got a contract with us so he has to understand that.

“I think it applies to everyone, not just Riyad. We all can have a little mood swing, all of us, but ultimately it’s about how long that lasts for.

“We haven’t had any bids and if we don’t have one, we’ve got no decision to make.

“The decision making comes when we have a bid and we can assess that when it happens.”

Well if Arsenal don’t make a bid, then we haven’t heard of any other club interested in paying that amount of money for the ex-Player-Of-The-Year have we?

Should we be feeling sorry for Mahrez?

Sam P.

34 Comments

    1. No need to be sorry for him, so you people remember when we were his 2nd choice after Barcelona? So what if we made a bid and Barca did the same, where would he have headed to? let him rot wherever he is, he deserves the sufferings hehehehe

      1. any player in arsenal Wright now wud dream to play for Barcelona beside messi …off course arsenal wil b second choise ..can’t c anything wrong wit that .

  1. I am surprised Wenger hasn’t made a bid.
    Maybe he was concentrating on Mbappe and Lemar who he has made bids on
    He will probably bid if he can’t get the above two
    Lemar and Mahrez are definitely happy to come here though
    Its just the transfer fees that could be a stumbling block

      1. None of them are worh £50.People are saying Lemar is worth that because they are considering how he will be long term.He’s very good at creating chances and key passes.As for Mahrez I would like Wenger to bring him in because I feel we need a left footed right winger with quality.The guy has cutting edge and is very good at creating a lot of chances and scoring.They are both different kind of players and I believe we should be happy with any of them.Currently,Mahrez is the better and more experienced of the two considering all factors but Lemar can be a great player.Their stype of play also fit Arsenal perfectly.

        1. Mahrez is lazy defensivelyand often makes Danny Simpson look bad because he isn’t doing his share of the work. His penalty taking is a bit of an issue as well as he can be too casual. Watch as well how when he dribbles he often seems to try one too many tricks. I think he had a poor season last term because premier league defences have worked out how to deal with him.

          1. Mahrez is not lazy. He’s frustrated being in leceister. All you people saying he’s lazy never said that when leceister won the league. Mahrez heart is set elsewhere that’s why he doesn’t put in as much as before…..and he’s badly willing to come to arsenal. I can bet he wont be lazy if he’s bought

      2. Agree. I would only pay 25-30 for Mharez. One season wonder. But at 30mill it might be worth taking a flyer. Btw, there are many out there who say that Lemar can also play centrally so Even if we get Lemar we can still get Mharez. But I don’t want him.

  2. The first thing is, Wenger should try hard and convinced Alexis to a new deal.
    Gave him what he is requesting for, then we can get LEMAR. I bet u we gonna be the most talked about team next season.

    1. Even £400,000 per week? (if its true)
      I think £300,000 should be the maximum

      That’s a heck of a jump from £140,000
      For comparison sake
      PL players
      Hazard apprx £200,000 per week
      Aguero and Toure apprx £220,000 per week
      Pogba apprx £290,000 per week

      Foreign players
      Messi and Neymar make around £250,000 per week
      Ronaldo and Bale make around £350,000 per week
      Lewandowski and Aubemeyang make around £160,000

      1. Agree. £250k be my max

        I wonder how much is about money. Or does he just want to work with Pep again

    2. As far as I’m concerned Sanchez can go. Sell him now for 80mil and get Mbappe AND Lemar. If we don’t get both of them then keep him this year and let him go free next year. So in sum we either have Sanchez, Laca, Ozil, and Lemar of
      Mbappe, Laca, Lemar and Ozil with Giroud and Perez on the bench. Get rid of Welbeck and Walcott. I’d rather keep Perez over Welbeck any day.

      1. Think we should get both Lemar and Mahrez. Both players can be deployed on the flanks and Lacazette upfront to be supported by Ozil and Sanchez. Get a holding midfielder. Sign Van Dijk. than we are done. I love that kid Oxlade, but if he is determine to go so let him go, wont make any big different. The two new proposed guys can do the job.

  3. well if leicester made it to the CL semis or finished in the top 4, maybe mahrez worth 50mil if he’s the motm. But they barely survived the drop and after the season he has had, I don’t know if 10mil can cut it for mahrez. No one gonna pay through the nose for him and fwiw, leicester gonna be holding on to a maligned fox on it’s squad. so….. should have cashed out last offseason

  4. You can’t say we’ve left him in the lurch. Leicester have slapped the stupid price tag on him – but he needs to sort things out with the owners. I live in Thailand so I know how they buy and sell things. They won’t let him go for peanuts.

    1. I agree
      £50 million is too much especially after a bad season
      Everton need to lower that by at least £15 million
      Everton’s fault not us

  5. He and Vardy had a chance to leave leicester last season but chose to stay over an improved contract..So no reason to feel sorry for him…

  6. I think Mahrez is a great player when he plays for a good team. Its very difficult to find player like him, he can dribble and imbalance the defence and create chances for himself and others. i think its arsenal lost, if they don’t sign him

  7. Mahrez acted so clever last season when arsenal needed him and old Vardy. He should have left the club and joins Arsenal ,same like KANTE but chose to stay, I do not feel sorry for him , Now Leceister is too expensive . He can sit with the Leceister and go for relegation.

  8. Is this the poor Mahrez that left us in limbo last season when we tried to sign him? Don’t feel bad at all!

  9. I honestly think we would have signed Mahrez by now if it wasn’t for the 50M price tag the Leicester put on his head.

    Lemar, though I didn’t initially believe this, seems to be cover for creativity in the middle. He is versatile enough and Wenger loves those, but I think Wenger’s primary assignment for him will be next to Xhaka in the middle of the park.

    That means that if Alexis stays, and I think he will, I don’t see how we sign Mahrez even if they drop the price.

    Mahrex might be signed if the OX decides to follow Gerard to the KOP.
    BUt still very unlikely…

    But you never know how transfer windows close.
    Lets cross our fingers that

    1. We sign Lemar ASAP.
    2. Alexis agrees to stay.
    3. Cazorla fully recovers somewhere in the course of the season.

    Then we will have a real team on our hands.

  10. No need to feel sorry for Mahrez…he has a title winners medal.
    Not many current Arsenal players have one…welbeck? Any others?

  11. Alexis will stay ,the ox will stay and we’ll grab Lemar but that doesn’t take the fact away that we still need a next defender or defensive midfielder to make are team solid

  12. Lemar isn’t worth £40, o don’t get the noise about all these Monaco guys, I may be wrong but, if Monaco had not won the league last season and did not go that far in the UCL I bet most of us will b swearing st Arsene calling Mbape another Sanogo and Lemar a new Gervinho, I still feel Mahrez is I better gamble than Lemar

  13. Halloo Riyad, what happened to your long awaited Barca move? Ranieri cheated you, he left. Don’t worry, Madrid and Barca will soon go in a tag of war for your signature. Arsenal is too small a club for you superstar!! You will be playing with Messi or Rinaldo, you are the great.

    By the way, your form has left you clamouring for a move even to westham

  14. IMO Mahrez is a diversionary ploy – too mercurial even for Wenger’s taste. We have room for one show pony and Ozil is possibly the best show pony in world football. Lemar is younger, hungrier, more physical, faster, more tenacious and has the potential to easily out surpass RM technique wise – he is close now but will pass him soon.

  15. mahrez is a good player no doubt but 50m is too much considering his form lately; last season. Wenger fancy the player, I’m sure it’s the price that is putting him off. If leceister can lower the price at least to 35m i know Wenger will bid. I’m not sure if Arsenal will sign Lemar this window, may be january or next summer, if other team don’t steal it. I think we Arsenal fans should not get our hope up too much as regards Mbappe, he is definitely too costly for Arsenal and Wenger. Lemar or Mahrez should do for now.

  16. In my humble opinion, I feel sorry for Mahrez, because the situation don’t seem favourable for him, especially having to be in rader along with Lemar. If Arsenal are to choose btwn the two, I bet Lemar is obviously Wenger’s first choice (not jst Wenger but Arsenal’s favourite). Mahrez is an alternative if u ask me…. You need to see that Lemar, he’s a hell of a grt prospect (at that age). The guy is strong, fast, skillfull, great crosser and a good scorer…he’s an EPL ready-made kind of player that will benefit Arsenal in the long run. If u know the loads of talents Lemar pocesses, then you’d agree with me that he’s the real deal to compliment Lacazette, Ozil and Giroud in attack even if Alexis choose not to stay. That doesn’t Mahrez won’t be a good buy, but he can only be 2nd to Lemar in all-round contribution to our team success.

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