http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/gossip ... see page from The Sun on this ... apparently he has informed 'Top' ...
please log in to view this image His agent says that it is 50/50 if he stays or goes http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/L...ri-confident/story-29233831-detail/story.html - basically saying show us the £££ I guess we are which is good.
reading the full article in the mail it shows how the owners are actively involved in the club, but interestingly not making promises that he would definitely stay that it was up to him, it seems to be echoed through out the club from the chairman to the manager, that they want happy players who want to be Leicester players. But that the club has no problems with money and they they are not looking to sell just to improve and i guess this is shown by the fact that 6 of the 10 most expensive players in the clubs history are either on the subs bench or out on loan. So just because you where expensive doesn't mean you will automatically get chosen for the first team.
The only problem I see about keeping Mahrez is that he clearly isn't that keen on performing defensive duties. I can't imagine the style of the team is going to change much next season. Why would it? Don't break a winning formula. If that is the case I could see him looking for a stage on which he can perform to his best - which is taking up a position in space waiting for the outlet ball while some other schmuck does the defending, and then using his energy to run at defenders and do his party tricks.
To be fair to Mahrez, hes chased back more this season than any other. Hasn't Danny Simpson been doing all the schmuck work this season? Hes been quoted somewhere that he doesn't do the classic "fullback overlap" thing because it gives Mahrez less space to play in, and it means that Simpsons been able to concentrate on his defensive duties.
Riyad Mahrez will snub Arsenal, Barcelona and PSG to stay with Leicester http://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/513899/Riyad-Mahrez-snub-Arsenal-Barca-PSG-Leicester If only this was from a source more credible then the Star...
Mahrez has chased back more this season, but it is often a token effort rather than putting in any kind of effective challenge. I know Saturday was not a good match on which to judge his defensive qualities because everything was already won, but his efforts at defending were pretty pathetic. How often he didn't get a foot in or turned his back was embarrassing. Every other player was still putting in a performance that mattered. He was fine going forward, and as long as Simpson gets backup from some other source then it might work, but we have looked very exposed down our right flank at times. The best European teams will quickly suss out any weakness and exploit it, so we have to make sure we plug all the gaps. He can hold his own with any top European player as far as ability goes and can lay off a wonderful pass, but he needs to toughen up a lot. With Gray growing in confidence and ability I can see Mahrez not being a shoe-in for next season.
If only... if Barcelona come calling, hes off! You could make arguments to why he'd snub PSG and Arsenal though.
...personally I'm OK with him defensively... it's not his game so we have adapted accordingly to accommodate a phenomenal talent ... Barcelona have 3 buggers who don't defend
Would think that he would want guaranteed first team football - don't think that Barca can promise him that. Already said that he wouldn't play for PSG because among other things he is a Marseilles fan. As for Arsenal - they won't spend the money to get him away from us.
It also means we have 3 buggers who won't defend - 2 strikers and Mahrez. Just feel it leaves us very stretched. Hopefully I'll be proven wrong. And not for the first time, I might add!
I think his creative input far out weighs the need to have him defend - him and Vardy together ahve been 'involved' in over 50 goals ... that is vital ... and allows you some leeway on defending ....Mahrez is a very special player ..many papers at the weekend used phrases such as "Leighton Baines is being given a torrid time by Riyad Mahrez ..." ... as the second goal proved ... that is what we are going to need next season ... someone who can unlock ANY defence ...
I know it's all about opinion, but anyone who thinks mahrez isn't good enough to start next season is plain bonkers
Thanks for those kind words, Ed . I didn't actually say that he isn't good enough to start. I said 'he's not a shoe-in' for next season. He is without doubt the most talented player we have going forward, but this Leicester City side is all about the team and everyone giving their all for each other. I don't think it has been coincidence that, every time we have gone down to 10 men, Mahrez has been withdrawn either immediately (Arsenal and Man Utd) or eventually (West Ham). So perhaps Claudio has doubts too. If you have 10 players putting their bodies on the line and one trotting back as a token effort or turning his back on a challenge then that player stands out from the group like a sore thumb. No one is demanding he tackles like a centre half; he just needs to do the same as Kante - he doesn't do full-blooded tackles; he just gets goalside, gets a foot in and makes a proper challenge. If the coaching staff can manage to get him doing that over the summer then we will have the complete player.
