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Arsenal: Riyad Mahrez forever ended by Henrikh Mkhitaryan?
By Rory Picton
Since Leicester City won the Premier League in 2016, Ryad Mahrez has been linked with a move away from the King Power. Arsenal has been linked heavily with Mahrez, but where did all those rumors go?
Arsenal is in need of a player with the class to replace the departing Alexis Sanchez and while it looks like Henrikh Mkhitaryan is the guy to do it, would it be so bad to err on the side of caution and add a bit more?
Riyad Mahrez fits the bill, right? You’d be right to say he’s got class, you’d be wrong to say he’s linked with a move to the Emirates now. With Arsenal moving for other targets it seems like Mahrez will remain a fox for the rest of the season.
Arsenal is reportedly giving Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United, in exchange for Henrickh Mkhitaryan. This is a good bit of business for Arsenal as they don’t need to shop for a replacement.
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Mkhitaryan was once a world-class player capable of turning a game on its head. That was when he plied his trade at Borussia Dortmund in the German Bundesliga. Arsene Wenger is also interested in signing his former teammate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. To see these two players link up at the Emirates would be mouthwatering to any fan. Aubameyang will cost Arsenal a pretty penny considering he’s one of Europe’s elite strikers.
Malcom of Bordeaux has also been linked with a move to the Emirates, but the Gunners have recently pulled out of the negotiations. Malcom is a talented winger with pace and skills to beat any defender. He’s also a lot younger than any of the players mentioned above (20). He would cost the Gunners anywhere from £35-45 million, which is a lot for a young unproven player.
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The Riyad Mahrez dilemma
Mahrez just isn’t needed anymore with links and potential signings like these. He is still a class player who on his day could make any game his. He would also cost a great deal, being only 26 and having such vast Premier League experience (and success).
Mahrez could solve a lot of problems, as he’s very creative, yet deadly in front of goal. He has been in hot water at the King Power recently, as he’s been letting everyone know he’s unsettled. He even went as far as nearly completing a reported move to Milan last season, only for the Foxes to deny him his exit.
The only thing to worry about with Riyad Mahrez is his attitude, as it’s eerily similar to Alexis Sanchez’s right now. Maybe with a move away from the King Power, he will grow up and actually work for the team.
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Since the departures of N’Golo Kante and Danny Drinkwater, Mahrez might feel like he is left to shoulder the team. At the Emirates, however, he could flourish with the freedom and openness that they play.