Riyad Mahrez has signed a new four-year contract with Premier League champions, Leicester City.
The 25-year-old, who has been with the Foxes since January 2014, has been the focus of much transfer speculation after his impressive performances last year. But the Algerian winger has rebuffed interest from the likes of Arsenal to stay with Leicester.
Riyad Mahrez signs new four-year contract with Leicester
It means N’golo Kante is likely to be the only high profile man to exit the King Power Stadium this summer after Mahrez became the fifth player to commit his future to the club.
Jamie Vardy signed a four-year deal after Arsenal matched the forward’s £20m release clause, and Wes Morgan, Andy King and Kasper Schmeichel have also put pen to paper.
But the man who was voted 2015/16’s PFA Player of the Year is perhaps the most important. Having scored 17 and assisted 11 last term, Mahrez would be tough to replace at this stage of the transfer window.
Leicester have already endured a setback this season after their opening day 2-1 defeat to recently-promoted Hull City. It was a lacklustre performance which saw Hull frustrate the champions, and take their own chances when they came.
Incidentally, Mahrez was the man to grab Leicester’s goal, albeit from a penalty that never should have been given. Despite the goal, Mahrez put in an unsatisfactory display, as Hull scored either side of half time.
Specualtion over his future intensified over the weekend, as Arsenal also got off to a bad start. Mahrez even hinted there were a number of clubs who could tempt him away from Leicester. But all the talk has been quashed with a new long-term deal.
Now, with one of their key players now committed to the cause, Leicester can look to make a creditable defence of their title.
