Journalist Toby Cudworth has suggested that there is a chance that Riyad Mahrez will be leaving Manchester City this summer.
After winning the treble at the end of his fifth season at Manchester City, the winger has found himself being linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium, specifically, with Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli looking to sign him.
Now, some behind-the-scenes details have emerged on the matter, with one journalist discussing what could happen with the 32-year-old in this window.
Journalist discusses potential Mahrez exit
Speaking in a recent edition of the Talking Transfers podcast, Cudworth said this about Mahrez and his current situation at City.
He said: “Riyad Mahrez was not amused at failing to play in the Champions League and FA Cup final.
“He has been a key player for Pep in big games, kind of a Bernardo Silva figure in that role, in that whenever City have needed to get a result Mahrez has tended to be in the side and his numbers are outstanding, both in terms of goal output and assists.
“But he’s coming towards the end of his Man City contract, he has another year remaining. He has interest from Saudi Arabia.
“Our understanding is that Al-Alhi have offered him a deal worth £45million-a-year, which is huge money. He’s not yet made a decision about what he’s going to do but I think there is every chance he could move on from Man City this summer.”
As Cudworth mentioned, the winger may not have featured in the FA Cup or Champions League finals last season, but still managed to show how important he can be in terms of delivering goal contributions when given the chance to play.
Specifically, the Algerian scored 15 goals and supplied 13 assists across the 47 games he appeared in across all competitions.
Some of those goal contributions came in significant games for City, such as their 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League and their 3-0 win over Sheffield United in the FA Cup semi final where he scored all three goals.
This showcases how useful the player can be in front of goal when on the pitch and why we feel it would be a blow for City if he were to leave them this summer.
Therefore, we think that even though he may have a lucrative financial offer from Al-Ahli, Mahrez should continue his journey with Pep Guardiola’s side and keep fighting to make sure he’s the one in the starting XI for the biggest games.
