Reports: Arsenal and Liverpool interested in signing Premier League superstar

What's the story?

Leicester City could yet be tempted to let one of their best players sling his hook. Riyad Mahrez has blatantly expressed that he wants to move away from the King Power Stadium, with teams sniffing around ever since. According to The Daily Express, AS Roma have proposed an offer for the Algerian but Leicester won't let him go for cheap. Rather unsurprisingly, Arsenal and now Liverpool are monitoring the situation and have enquired about his availability.

In case you didn't know...

Mahrez slaloming past defenders like the wind was probably the most delightful spectacle of the 2015/16 Premier League campaign. But the Algerian magician seemed to have lost some of the wind from his sails in the following season as Leicester fell to the bottom half of the table.

With the price tags slapped on footballers at an all-time eye-popping high, the Foxes are holding out for £50m for the star winger. AS Roma's offer stands at £30m+add ons, more than just a stone's throw away from Leicester's valuation.

Craig Shakespeare had earlier confirmed that Roma had submitted a bid for Mahrez.

“I think I was quoted as saying on the last press day there had been no bids. There has been a bid from Roma. I was told afterwards so I want to put the record straight. It was politely declined on the basis it was a low offer."

The heart of the matter

The Mahrez situation has been a source of tension in the Leicester dressing room. The players have urged him to shape up if he's not gonna ship out.

Arsenal, who shelled out £45m+bonuses for Lacazette, became quite close-fisted when it came to trying to land Mahrez.

The Gunners, who had two of their bids rejected, are keeping an eye out for the Algerian, ready to make a swoop if Mr. one-foot-out-the-door Sanchez decides to decamp from the Emirates and move to Paris.

Liverpool, who already have top quality wingers in Salah and Mane, are keeping tabs on Mahrez as they will need more options when they return to the Champions League this term.

The 26-year-old Mahrez managed 10 goals and five assists from 45 appearances in the Champions League and Premier League in 2016/17. However, this was a major step down from the 2015/16 campaign where he was the PFA Player of the Year and had 17 goals and 11 assists in the Premier League alone.

Mahrez is not keen on moving away from England, with Arsenal being his preferred destination.

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Author's take

Mahrez has the ability to make top defenders embrace thin air. Although he just had a below par season, there is no question regarding the quality of the Algerian winger. Arsenal have trouble in their ranks with Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sanchez threatening to leave. With Walcott showing signs of fading away, the Gunners will need to stop dilly dallying and make a move for Mahrez. Liverpool, on the other hand, need squad depth, but Mahrez will know that he would not get much game time at Anfield. However, what is important is the fact that Liverpool will be playing Champions League football whereas the Gunners will be biding their time in the Europa League.