London: Barcelona are ready to offer Riyad Mahrez a dream move to La Liga, but Leicester City will demand more than pounds 40 million for the winger.
Mahrez is a target for the Spanish giants this summer and is understood to be aware of the interest ahead of a likely bid at the end of the season. The Professional Footballers’ Association’s reigning Player of the Year has never hidden his long-term desire to play for Barcelona, alongside his idol Lionel Messi, and Leicester are bracing themselves for an official move ahead of the next campaign.
But the Premier League champions are in no mood to be bullied by Barca and will ask for a substantial fee if the interest is converted into a formal bid. Mahrez signed a pounds 100,000-a-week contract in August and the deal has no release clause, which means Leicester can effectively name their price for the 26-year-old Algerian. Last summer, Leicester received inquiries from Chelsea and Arsenal, following their remarkable title triumph, and at the time the club were determined to use Raheem Sterling’s pounds 49 million move to Manchester City in 2015 as the benchmark for any deal.
Mahrez has more than three years remaining on his contract, so Leicester stand to receive far more than the pounds 30 million they banked when N’Golo Kante signed for Chelsea in July, if he does move.
Barcelona are preparing for a summer of change with coach Luis Enrique stepping down at the end of the season. His assistant, Juan Carlos Unzue, is seen as a strong contender to replace him, while there has also been support for Sevilla’s Jorge Sampaoli.
Their interest in Mahrez has been consistent for the past 12 months, however, and Barcelona will test Leicester’s resolve to keep a player who cost them just pounds 450,000 from Le Havre in 2014.
When asked about Barcelona last season, Mahrez said: “It’s not my goal or my dream, but obviously everyone wants to play with Messi. One day, maybe. Why not? “I always watch Barcelona on the TV at home because I like how they play. To me, Messi is the best of the best. You can’t say anything to him, he’s the boss.”
Leicester and Mahrez still have plenty to play for this season, though, as they prepare for a Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid next month. With 10 league games left, they also need to make sure of their Premier League status for 2017-18.
— The Telegraph Group Limited, London 2016
