The Riyad Mahrez to Arsenal saga coughs and splutters on. However, when before it seemed as if the Leicester City man could have a slight chance of coming to north London, now it’s not looking likely. At all.
Sure enough, after the initial reports from L’Equipe and the Guardian journalist Ed Aarons claimed that Arsenal had made a second bid of £35m and that Mahrez’s agent had met with the club, more reports emerged to debunk the previous rumours so that we were all left more than a little confused.
Let’s break this down
The latest from Tuesday, was that Mahrez apparently wants to leave the Foxes but won’t force a move.
Then, on Wednesday, the French media were reporting that Arsenal had bid £35m for Mahrez, which is apparently the second attempt we’ve made to sign the winger. The Guardian also claimed that his agent had been at Leicester for a meeting.
L’Equipe consultant, Gilles Favard, also claimed that Mahrez would be at Arsenal ‘soon’.
https://twitter.com/GFFN/status/763348036663799808
There were also reports doing the rounds claiming that the Foxes had bid for Gabriel Barbosa, who could be Mahrez’s replacement.
However, just hours after these reports emerged, Sky Sports shot them down claiming that those infamous ‘Sky Sources’ had informed them that no bid had been made.
https://twitter.com/SkyFootball/status/763374333758738432
What’s more is that Ed Aarons – the same Guardian bloke that said their had been a meeting between Mahrez’s agent and Leicester – now says he’s been told that the 25-year-old will NOT be sold this summer.
https://twitter.com/ed_aarons/status/763410994815172608
The same journalist then put together a longer piece, explaining that there was a meeting between Mahrez’s agent and the Foxes and the decision had been made that he would stay, which he agreed to.
Apparently, this is because they won’t be able to find a suitable replacement in time for the start of the season.
Negotiations over a new contract will continue, which will probably include a clause about what should happen if a big club comes knocking.
Good grief.
Arsenal signing just about anyone is looking like a stretch right now!