Quantcast
Home   >   Transfer News   >   Arsenal boss ‘tells friends’ he’s made £25m attacker his No.1 target

Arsenal boss ‘tells friends’ he’s made £25m attacker his No.1 target

By on April 20, 2016

According to a report in the Metro, Arsene Wenger has told close friends that he’s made Leicester City attacker Riyad Mahrez his number one summer transfer target.

The Algerian international has been outstanding for Leicester and played a key role in their march towards a shock Premier League title win this season.

The 25-year-old has scored 16 goals and provided 10 assists for the Foxes in all competitions, and was recently named on the six-man shortlist for the PFA Player of the Year.

Understandably that kind of form has attracted interest and the Metro are citing a report from the Sun which claims that Arsene has ‘told friends’ he’s made the winger his primary target this summer.

Claudio Ranieri has already hinted that Leicester might struggle to keep hold of their top talent this summer and the Metro suggest that Mahrez could be snapped-up for £25m.

So what do we make of these reports? Well, I personally won’t be reading too much in to them as firstly I’m not going to buy in to the ‘told friends’ line being spun in the report and secondly, where on earth have the Metro got £25m from?

Based on this seasons form and the current transfer market, Mahrez is worth well in excess of £35m. Leicester are likely to be champions this season and have wealthy owners so I can’t see them cashing-in for just £25m.

Wenger was quizzed about the reports at his press conference this morning and he gave little away other than to say that even if he was interested in Mahrez, he wouldn’t say anything out of respect for Leicester.

The boss told Arsenal.com:

on links with Riyad Mahrez…
No, and even if there was [interest] I would not speak about that at this stage of the season [out of] respect to Leicester.

It’s hardly a denial and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if we were interested in Mahrez as we made enquiries in January, however, it’s likely to be much harder to buy him this summer after the season he’s had at the King Power.

3 Comments