Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez is Arsenal's top transfer target for the remainder of the summer.
That’s according to Paul Hetherington of the Daily Star Sunday, who reported Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is ready to part with a whopping £45 million to get this deal over the line. Barcelona were also said to be interested in the Algeria international but have dropped out of the running after landing Andre Gomes.
Steve Stammers of the Sunday Mirror has also noted the Gunners are interested in Mahrez, although he suggested he is one of two major targets the club has, the other being Olympique Lyonnais striker Alexandre Lacazette.
It’s stated the France international is valued at around the £40 million mark, while Mahrez would be available for £35 million.
They would both excite Arsenal supporters should they come in. The Leicester man in particular is an outstanding talent and lit up the Premier League last term. His 17 goals and 11 assists were vital to his team’s shock title triumph and a haul that earned him the PFA Player of the Year gong.
Aside from the end product that was so crucial to Leicester’s success last term, these numbers from WhoScored.com show Mahrez is a wonderful player to watch:
He’d fix a potential problem position for Wenger too. The spot on the right flank, from which Mahrez drifted infield with such devastation for the Foxes last term, was occupied by a variety of different players in 2015-16. However, none of them were able to cement a spot in the team.
While Arsenal may be keen to prise the winger away from the champions, as we can see here, courtesy of Bleacher Report UK, Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri doesn’t expect him to move anywhere:
The right flank is not as big an issue as the point of the attack, though, meaning Arsenal fans may prefer to see the club spend big on Lacazette instead of the Leicester star.
The Lyon man has emerged as one of the most dangerous forwards in Ligue 1 over the past two campaigns. Lacazette is an extremely sharp centre-forward, using his acceleration, clever positioning and strong running style to fashion an edge on defenders. Here is a look at the forward in action:
Gunners striker Olivier Giroud has many attributes and could still be an extremely effective member of the Gunners squad. But during his time with Arsenal, he’s proved he’s not a forward to build a title challenge around. As such, it’s a position Wenger must address between now and the end of the window on August 31.
After seeing a move for Leicester’s Jamie Vardy thwarted, the manager seems to be keen to get in a rapid goal-getter. Lacazette may seem like a costly acquisition for £40 million, but he fulfils a lot of similar criteria.
Nevertheless, Squawka Football’s Nic English is concerned the supposed pursuit of Mahrez may mean Wenger has given up on signing a new forward:
Mahrez blossomed in the Premier League last season, becoming one of the most feared attackers in the division. His balance, close control and consistency in the final third would make him a fine addition for Arsenal and a player who’d bring fresh diversity to their creative play.
He can’t come in at the expense of a natural forward, though. The Gunners already possess a surfeit of attacking midfielders with guile and grace on the ball, and their problems at the point of the team have been longstanding. Of the two players mentioned, Lacazette must be the priority purchase.