London, July 17 (IANS) Capital football club Chelsea is now reportedly planning a second raid on the English Premier League (EPL) champions for Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez after the signing of midfielder N'Golo Kante.
According to the Daily Express, the PFA Player of the Year is on the verge of turning down a new Leicester contract worth 100,000 pound ($1,31,940) per week.
And that will alert a number of Europe's biggest clubs tracking the 25-year-old, who signed for 350,000 pound ($4,61,790) from French side Le Havre in 2014.
New Chelsea head coach Antonio Conte finalised the transfer of Frenchman Kante on Saturday for $42.5 million, who moves to London on a five-year deal worth 150,000 pound ($1,97,910) per week.
Conte has made no secret of his desire to sign a goalscorer and PFA Player of the Year Mahrez, who hit 17 last season, fits the bill.
However, Foxes chief coach Claudio Ranieri insists he is confident Mahrez will stay at the King Power Stadium.
"I am very confident with him. He stays here with us," said Ranieri. "He enjoys it and is not a man saying 'coach I want to go'. He is happy."
Chelsea will face competition from Arsenal and Barcelona, who also being credited with interest in the midfielder.
Leicester will ask more than 30 million pound ($39.5 million) to let one of their most shining star leave the club and Chelsea seem to be eager to meet both the club and the player's request.
--IANS
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