Arsenal: Riyad Mahrez the darling of the summer

Riyad Mahrez released a statement on Tuesday declaring his intention to leave Leicester City. He is very much the darling of Arsenal’s summer transfer window.

Arsene Wenger will be Arsenal manager next season. It was leaked on Tuesday and confirmed on Wednesday: he has signed a two-year contract to remain as manager of the club and has every intention of seeing out both two years with the potential of a longer future beyond.

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While there will be many who are far from pleased with the decision, it does now provide a foundation for which the crucial summer can now be built upon. And there is much work to be done. There are players’ futures which need settling, the structure of the club needs to be reworked, and significant recruitment to stave the decline of a stagnating squad must take place.

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And that latter task requires highlighting realistic targets. There have been and will be a number of players linked with a move to North London, even though there is not a shred of a probability that such a transfer would ever be completed. But that does not mean there are not quality players who are unrealistic targets. One possibility is Leicester winger Riyad Mahrez, whose recent comments are especially uplifting.

On Tuesday morning, Mahrez released a public statement revealing his desire to leave the club. This is the key part of a rather long-winded declaration:

"“Out of the huge admiration and respect I hold for Leicester, I wanted to be totally honest and transparent. I have informed the club that I feel now is the time for me to move on.”"

Such comments will put on a number of possible suitors on high alert, including Arsenal. I am of the thinking that, of the players who could realistically be signed by Wenger, there are few that I would rather see at the Emirates than Mahrez.

His quality on the ball, his pace and his trickery make him a vicious winger. He is direct in his dribbling, boasts a lovely left-foot, and offers goals from wide areas that compliment the team-focused attack that Wenger implements. Moreover, Mahrez satisfies a position of need. A dynamic attacking threat is missed in this side, especially if Alexis Sanchez is to leave as is highly possible.

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Mahrez is a wonderfully gifted player, who has experience of the Premier League and plays in a way that suits Wenger’s style. He has also now revealed his interest to leave Leicester and would certainly see Arsenal as a promising destination. For me, at least, Mahrez is the darling of the summer, and it’d be brilliant to see him in North London next season.