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Arsenal: Riyad Mahrez becoming more and more reality than dream
Arsene Wenger has stated in an interview that a bid for Riyad Mahrez is a possibility. The dream of seeing him in an Arsenal shirt is becoming more and more a reality.
Arsene Wenger is a very private, secluded, self-protecting individual. After 21 years in the role as Arsenal manager, there is still very little known, at least from an external perspective, about how he manages his side, about the decisions that he makes and why he makes them, about how he chooses to run the club.
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He is notoriously guarded when it comes to the media, especially in regards to transfers. He rarely divulges his upcoming plans and never talks about individual players, either of his own who could be sold, or possible recruitment targets.
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That is why, when he does choose to speak about individual targets, what he says carries so much more weight than a manager more willing to spout about anyone and everyone that he may or may not be trying to sign. His comments with BEIN Sports, regarding a possible for Riyad Mahrez, then, take on a new significance in such context. Here is what he had to say:
"“We have not made a bid, but personally, I like the player, yes. I think he made a huge impact when they won the championship. Like everybody else at Leicester, this season has been more challenging, but it doesn’t take away from his qualities. Have we made a bid for him? No. Not yet. No, we have not. When I say ‘not yet’ it means it could happen. It might not happen.”"
That is extremely interesting. Rarely will Wenger so openly and clearly discuss the possibility of making an offer for a specifically named player. And yet, here we are, hearing him candidly reveal his admiration for the named Mahrez and detail the possibility of making a bid for the Leicester City winger.
Mahrez has also made his intentions clear this week. In a publicly released statement, he revealed that he has told Leicester that he would like to leave the club this summer, after agreeing to stay for one more season to enjoy the inaugural Champions League campaign with the Foxes.
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The dream of seeing Mahrez pull on an Arsenal shirt next season is not nearly as far-fetched as many think. In fact, it is a growing reality and that is extremely exciting indeed.