Attacker wants new challenge away from Prem champs
Riyad Mahrez is set to reject a new contract at Leicester after deciding he wants to persue a new challenge away from the Premier League champions.
Mahrez joined the Foxes in 2014 from the French side Le Havre for £375,000, has attracted widespread attention from clubs in England and overseas after his performances in their title-winning season.
The PFA Player of the Year still has three years to run of the contract he signed last August, in a deal which is believed to be worth £35,000 a week. However, having held talks with Leicester over a new deal believed to be worth in the region of £80,000 a week, Mahrez is understood to be unwilling to extend his stay at the King Power Stadium and has instructed his representatives to find him a new club this summer.
“He remains with us. He’s not the kind of man who will say: ‘Coach I want to leave.’ He is happy here,” said Ranieri at the club’s training camp in Austria.
The newspaper France Football stated that Mahrez has a desire to join a big European club, with Barcelona among the clubs to have been linked with him in the past.
By Ben Kelly – @benkelly_10
