The incredible fairytale of Leicester City winning the Premier League title unfolded during the 2015-16 Premier League season. On May 2, 2016, Leicester claimed the top spot in England’s top league for the first time in the club’s history, becoming the 2015-16 Premier League season champions. One of the key players from the victorious team has criticized his old team, Leicester, for obstructing his move to Arsenal.
Riyad Mahrez, the former Leicester player who later transferred to Manchester City, revealed that he almost joined Arsenal, but ultimately, he did not succeed in making the move. Mahrez criticized Leicester City in the media, claiming they prevented his transfer to Arsenal, which cost him two important years in his career.
Mahrez’s Stint With Leicester City
Mahrez played an instrumental role in leading Leicester City to a remarkable Premier League title victory in the 2015/16 season. In 37 matches, he scored 17 goals and 10 assists, helping his former team win their first Premier League title.
Just like with any championship team, larger clubs always target the top players. Mahrez, Jamie Vardy, and Sadio Mane emerged as top players that the top six clubs targeted. Riyad Mahrez, a midfielder for Leicester City, considered leaving due to interest from other clubs during the transfer window.
Nevertheless, he still hadn’t completed his move to Arsenal, the club he was eager to transition to. In interviews with the press, he has blamed Leicester City for hindering his transfer to Arsenal.
According to France Football, he stated “After the title, if I’d left for a top team, it wouldn’t have been the same story. For me, it’s clear that I lost two years at the highest level. I lost two years!”
Mahrez then went on to add “Leicester blocked me. They told me: ‘You’re not leaving, you’re not leaving”. Arsene Wenger, the former Arsenal manager, had expressed interest and discussions were underway with the player’s agent. Nevertheless, Leicester displayed no willingness to allow Mahrez to leave, so they could not cement the agreement on paper.
What will Happened Next?
On July 10, 2018, Manchester City officially announced Mahrez’s signing of a five-year deal with the club. Mahrez’s £60m transfer made history as the highest fee for an African player, City’s priciest signing, and Leicester’s biggest sale.
Facing unexpected hurdles, he finally chose to transfer to league-leading Manchester City. He enjoyed a successful stint at Manchester City, featuring in 145 matches and netting 43 goals.
At City, he won five league titles, one FA Cup, two EFL Cups, and the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League, forming a continental treble. Pep Guardiola, the manager of City, praised him for his remarkable skills and understanding of the game.
Where Is Riyad Now after leaving Manchester City?
He had a successful time at Manchester City, but he found the lack of playing time discouraging. On 19 July 2023, the BBC reported that Manchester City had agreed to let Mahrez move to Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli for a fee of £30 million.
The winger could renew his contract with City, but he chose to transfer to the Saudi Pro League instead. Nevertheless, he did not say that a lack of playing time caused his departure from the city; instead, he emphasized that he felt honored to have played for them.
I was offered four years in Saudi Arabia, a Muslim country where I can protect my family. There was also a new challenge and a new project. So, I decided to leave, He added. He has played 37 matches for Al Ahli, scored 11 goals, and shown great performance according to his usual level. However, it seems he could have achieved great success at Arsenal if he had signed with them three years ago.
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