Manchester City
Premier League • England
Man City accept Riyad Mahrez transfer offer but confidence grows over keeping another top star
Manchester City have accepted a bid worth up to £30million for experienced winger Riyad Mahrez from Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli.
The Algeria international has consequently been given permission to miss the treble winners’ pre-season tour of Asia.
Mahrez, 32, is now set to discuss terms ahead of a potential move to the Jeddah-based Saudi Pro League outfit. Reports have suggested he has been offered a three-year contract.
The former Leicester winger was not included in the 25-man City squad due to leave for Japan and South Korea on Wednesday.
Mahrez had two years remaining on a contract which he extended last summer but had reportedly been frustrated with a lack of game time in the treble-winning 2022-23 campaign.
Mahrez made just 22 Premier League starts last term and was an unused substitute in the finals of both the FA Cup and Champions League.
He joined City in a £60million deal from Leicester in 2018 having helped the Foxes to win the Premier League two years previously. He went on to win the title four more times with Pep Guardiola’s side.
TEAMtalk understands that Mahrez met with Pep Guardiola on Tuesday to confirm his unhappiness and that the City boss knew he couldn’t persuade him to stay.
The relationship between the pair was broken after the player’s omission from the starting line-ups for FA Cup and Champions League finals. He is also failed to feature from the bench in both games.
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City still confident of keeping Silva
However, City are now hopeful of keeping Bernardo Silva, who has been a top target for Barcelona all summer.
We understand that Guardiola is still looking at bringing in another winger though after allowing Mahrez to move on.
City begin the defence of their Premier League title at Burnley on Friday August 11.