Arsenal could end any interest in Riyad Mahrez to pursue Thomas Lemar, according to reports.

Leicester Mercury are reporting that Arsenal are set to bring their inquiries about Mahrez to a close, as a deal for Thomas Lemar gets closer. As per David Ornstein, Arsenal have already made at least one bid for Lemar and had it rejected, but the reports are that they plan to bid again as much as £45m this week.

Leicester officials have confirmed that no club has yet made a bid for Mahrez, perhaps partly as a result of the high valuation that the club have given for the player, with Leicester Mercury reporting claiming he is “£50million-rated”.

If there is no progress on Lemar and Alexis Sanchez gets closer to a move away from the club, it doesn’t seem impossible a bid will be made at that point. Mahrez is certainly keen to leave the club, as per his announcement earlier in the summer, so it’s clear he isn’t Arsenal’s number one target right now, given the lack of offer at this stage.

For now it seems to depend on how this week goes with Arsenal’s pursuit of Thomas Lemar.