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Source clarifies Mahrez situation amid reports of £37m Arsenal deal
An apparent source close to Riyah Mahrez has told Algerian outlet Le Buteur that there is NO agreement in place with Arsenal amid reports of an impending £37m move to the Emirates.
Mahrez has been strongly linked with a move to Arsenal this month with Eurosport FR claiming last week that Arsene Wenger had held face-too-face talks with the attackers agent following our friendly draw with Lens.
It looked like a deal was on the verge of completion when Le Buteur reported on Thursday that a British journalist close to Arsenal had informed them that Mahrez had agreed personal terms with the club.
The report also stated that a proposed £37m deal would be wrapped-up ‘in the next few days’ after Mahrez had supposedly informed Leicester City that he was joining Arsenal and his decision was ‘irrevocable’.
However, the same Algerian newspaper [Le Buteur] has now published a fresh report today claiming that they’ve been in contact with a ‘source’ close to Mahrez and he’s informed them that there is NO agreement in place with Arsenal.
This so-called insider suggests that Mahrez is in talks with several clubs, not just Arsenal, but there is no guarantee that he’ll leave Leicester. He’s quoted as telling Le Buteur:
“Listen all that has been said and written about an agreement reached between Mahrez and Arsenal is wrong. The player is currently on tour with Leicester in the United States and is fully focused on his work. I can assure you that if an agreement was reached with Arsenal, it’s me who’ll be the first informed. This is not the case.”
“You know, it’s normal that so many rumors currently surrounding the possible transfer of Riyadh. The latter was voted player of the English Championship last season and was one of champions in helping Leicester City win the title. It is true that many big clubs are interested in him. However, for now, nothing is done and what is not so obvious is that he will go this summer. The European press say things that are not true. We will see in the coming days what happens. ”
“It’s not just Arsenal who are interested in Mahrez. Other top clubs in the country (England) are on his trail. There are negotiations currently with them, but there is no agreement. Anyway, there’s no hurry. “
So based on this ‘sources’ information, any talk of Mahrez being on the verge of joining Arsenal is well wide of the mark. However, I’m not sure how much I believe this ‘source’. In fact, I’m not too sure about the legitimacy of Le Buteur full stop.
Their latest report makes absolutely no reference to the story they published yesterday about Mahrez having an agreement with Arsenal. Instead, they point to last week’s Eurosport article as the instigator of the ‘Mahrez to Arsenal’ rumours, completely ignoring the fact they fuelled the rumours even further on Thursday.
It strikes me that Le Buteur are just hedging their bets and trying to generate attention with fake ‘sources’.
I’d personally be shocked, and bitterly disappointed, if Wenger wasn’t interested in Mahrez as he’d be a superb addition to the squad. Let’s see how things develop but not get too excited/downbeat based on the ramblings of an Algerian news outlet.
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