Mahrez ‘happy’ at Leicester and rules out January exit

Riyad Mahrez: Xavi likes the look of Leicester playmaker

Riyad Mahrez: Xavi likes the look of Leicester playmaker

Riyad Mahrez insists he will not leave Leicester  in the January transfer window after declaring himself happy with life at the table-topping Foxes.

The 24-year-old played a pivotal role in Leicester’s defeat of Chelsea on Monday night and has been watched closely by Manchester United, Arsenal and Barcelona during a stand-out season which has seen him score 11 goals and make seven assists in 15 appearances.

The Algeria international joined Leicester in a £400,000 deal from Ligue 2 club Le Havre in 2014 but his value has now rocketed with Claudio Ranieri insisting he could not even put a figure on it.

In an interview with French radio station RMC, when asked if he will leave Leicester City next month, Mahrez said: “It’s best for me to stay until the end of the season.

“I was at Le Havre, I had six months left but nobody came to get me. Leicester tried very hard to get me,” he added.

“I could feel that they wanted me. I took the decision without knowing the culture or the area. It was a risk.

“When you come from far away and you end up in the Premier League it makes you happy. I am happy that I signed for Leicester.”

Mahrez revealed he has a good rapport with Ranieri and has put in extra work to make the impact he has this season.

“We laugh a lot in training. It is true that Ranieri motivates us a lot. He has great experience. We work a lot on pressing and counter-attacking.

“I have grown up, I know my body a bit better. Training is not the same. It is true that I work a lot after and outside of training. That’s different from France.

“Clearly, it is always good to score goals, it gives me a lot of confidence. It helps us to keep going in the right direction.”

Leicester are top of the Premier League after Monday’s 2-1 win over Chelsea but Mahrez dampened title hopes insisting: “We are not going to win the league, no. I don’t think we have broad enough shoulders to do it. For the moment we are first, but it means nothing, the big guys will wake up at some moment.”