Manchester City are making a surprise £60 million deadline move for Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez.
Pep Guardiola has dramatically switched his search for an extra star to the gifted Algerian winger after pulling back from the Alexis Sanchez deal.
Despite topping the Premier League table, City want something more in attack with Leroy Sane injured and the Champions League to be won.
Money is no object in the Mahrez move but they will face opposition from the Foxes heirarchy who are rich and have turned down past approaches.
City want Mahrez on his way today and the player is aware of his interest. He is seeking showdown talks to force the transfer.
Mahrez went missing from Leicester in a bid to force a transfer in the last window but the tactic did not work.
City want to play it straight and agree a fee, knowing that wages will no be an issue.
They had fortunes set aside for Sanchez until it became too rich.
The Prem leaders would smash their transfer record for the second time in two days after splashing £57m on Aymeric Laporte.
Five reasons why Man City need Riyad Mahrez
1: Injuries to Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus
City may be flush with talent throughout their squad, but even they get hit by injuries and the loss of Sane and Jesus takes away a huge amount of pace and cutting edge from Pep Guardiola’s side.
With Phil Foden also injured, it could be argued only Raheem Sterling gives them that electric speed and incisiveness, and the manager will want cover.
Both Sane and Jesus could miss the next month, and City will be keen to ensure they do not give Manchester United even the slightest glimmer of hope by slipping up in the league in that time.
2: Guardiola clearly wants a Mahrez-type of player
City may have been beaten by United in the race to sign Alexis Sanchez, but the fact they were in the running for his services at all suggests Guardiola thinks the squad is short in that position.
Mahrez has proven he can destroy defences in the Premier League, and he would add a new dimension to the squad at the Etihad.
3: He can play in Europe
Mahrez is one of the few players up to City’s high standards who could be signed this month and not be cup-tied in Europe.
As we enter the crucial knock-out phase of the Champions League, there is no room for error and the prospect of seeing a year’s hard work being ruined by lack of options is not worth thinking about.
Mahrez has Champions League experience with Leicester and would be free to play a part when City face Basel in the last-16 next month.
4: Mahrez is as good as Coutinho
Barcelona splashed out £145million signing Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool – and there are few who would argue that he is a genuine world class talent.
Not so well known is that since Coutinho and Mahrez have been in the Premier League at the same time, it is the Leicester star who has performed better.
He created more, scored more and made more of an impact in Premier League games than Coutinho over the same period – including leading his club to the title.
5: To send out a message to their rivals
With City so dominant in the league this season it would have been easy for them to carry on happily until summer with the title in their reach.
But they have already gone out and invested £57million this month to sign Aymeric Laporte to show they want to get even better.
And if they can capture one of the most creative talents in the top flight as well, it will show their rivals that no matter what signings they make, City will continue to be one step ahead
DEAL ME IN Transfer news live: Aubameyang close to Arsenal, Man City in for Aymeric Laporte and Olivier Giroud to Chelsea – all the latest updates
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