Arsene Wenger says Arsenal have not made a bid for Riyad Mahrez, but admits it’s something that could occur as the Algerian winger looks for pastures new this summer.
This year the 2015-16 player of the year was part of a Leicester team that found it hard to hit the heights of that title winning season, but that hasn’t deterred the Arsenal manager.
Speaking to to beIN Sports, Wenger was asked about his interest in the player who, last week, handed in a transfer request at Leicester.
“Have we made a bid for him?,” he said. “No. Not yet. Not yet means it could happen, it could not happen
“I think he had a huge impact at Leicester when they won the championship, like everybody else.
“It’s been a different season this year but it doesn’t take anything away from his qualities.”
Arsenal were rumoured to be interested last year but it never went beyond that, despite some French journalist talking about it as if it were a done deal. Leicester later admitted they hadn’t had any bid from the Gunners.
This time around they’d be inclined to sell, so it remains to be seen how serious our interest is. It probably depends a lot on whether Ozil and Sanchez stay, and Wenger also revealed he’s willing to keep both players into the final year of their contracts unless they agitate for a move.
So, for now, we’ll get the Poo-o-Meter out and give it middling 5. Interactive poo ratings coming soon *cough – Alex – cough*
UPDATE
Interactive poo ratings are back. Poo away to your heart’s content folks!
I’d take him easily.
Make him play RW with Ozil LW and Sanchez up top.
I’ve also recently just bagged Sanchez on a free transfer on FIFA for my Leyton Orient team. WE’RE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE.
i cant see where he would fit in the new formation of back 3…and his body language is xctly like oezil ?…not the player we need right now…goretzka would be great instead of him
Exactly . we are carrying ozil as it is in big games , we cannot afford two of them . what we need is players like Sanchez who is good in the ball and not afraid to get a little dirty.
Besides To be honest we don’t really need him . we have too many similar creative players in the squad. What we need is a quality striker. And a good backup to bellerin. If we’re buying mahrez in addition yo then its fine.
If he plays like he did in 2015/16 I’d be very happy to see him join.
Just want as many players like that as we can get really don’t we.
so the solution lies in your comment itself, play him when Ozil can’t play.
I get what you’re saying about Mahrez but where does your faith in Goretzka come from?
Yeah exactly – why would we waste money on this guy. He’s done fuck all this season. Clearly a player that just hit a purple patch at the right time. I’m not sure I really trust Arsene to spend the money any more – Mbappe isn’t what we need, nor is this guy. If we’re chucking £100M around this summer why not have a pop at Aubameyang? Or Dybala? Or James Rodriguez I mean yeah he’s more of a winger, but I bet you could convert him into a striker.. I don’t like Lacazette particularly but I’d be all over… Read more »
Dybala would be incredible, but he won’t leave where he is. I’d take Mahrez if we sold Walcott (which I think we should do).
Is a ‘goober’ a) a mood Hoover? b) a Spud with too much time on their hands? Or c) the gobby, know nothing moron who sits behind me at The Emirates who finds fault in everything that our club and team does?
Sounds like the guy next to me at The Emirates. Spends his whole time shouting “you useless fuckin cunt” at our own players, for pretty much the whole game and doesn’t really celebrate when we score goals. Strange.
Mbappe isn’t what we need? That’s what we’ve been needing since van Perdue naffed off!
Not sure if this means moving back to the 4-3-3? Mahrez plays from the right, Ozil currently plays there.
Would love to see a frontline of Alexis-Welbeck-Mahrez but without Cazorla midfield would not be stable.
People calling him a one season wonder too quick to judge. He was brilliant the season before that as well (the second half) and will only get better with better players around him.
Would be sick to have two killer wingers who can finish and provide and are decisive in the final third. Something we’ve lacked in recent years through inconsistency and injuries.
I think we are all giving Wenger a bit too much credit. We all know he just amasses a plethora of players without any real prior thought to where they play. That’s why we have the worlds largest collection of attacking central midfielders. It’s been verified by Guinness and everything.
Why do people rate Welbeck so highly. How about getting a goalscorer, instead of relying on somebody who will never be one
Yeah, my point exactly. Why can’t we spend a lot of money on Belotti! Would make this summer the best, then have Giroud and Welbz as 2nd and 3rd choices. Gives us depth in case of injuries and loss of form.
He would be a good replacement for Ozil. There’s no way we would run both contracts down.
Ozil looks far more likely to stay than Sanchez.
Wasn’t there a report about how no big clubs are in for Ozil? I can kinda see that. What other top European team plays with a dedicated no.10 these days? I think only we do, and even now he’s moved to the wings.
I don’t mind keeping Ozil and want to, but I’m not gonna pretend I’d be deveststed if we didn’t.
Sanchez however….
The biggest clubs interested in Ozil are unwilling to meet his wage demands. That’s the biggest roadblock he’s facing if he wants to leave.
Strong addition to the squad but does not currently strengthen the team.
I’d sell walcott if i bought mahrez.
Walcott had a better season than Mahrez, and in the 3-back formation neither have a place to play unless they play out of position.
To assume Mahrez would be a good replacement for Ozil is quite a stretch.
Leave Alex alone, blogs. He’s obviously up to his eyeballs in poo. He doesn’t need any more pressure.
Hang in there Alex, whoever you are mate.
#I’mwithAlex
I think Alex is angling for a new contract.
Sign da ting Blogs.
– someone totally not related to Alex. ?
He won’t be a bad addition…but there is a thin line between interest and intent..
Would be a good signing considering the amount of deadwood we need replacing. Wouldn’t be too upset if it didn’t happe, though
I would happily see Mahrez play for the Arsenal. He has something about him that would greatly benefit the team, though he may struggle in the new formation.
I’d like mahrez at arsenal whoever leaves or stays at the club.
And if we have to sell one of our stars, it would be beneficial for mahrez or whoever we want to sign to come to the club before they leave. So that mahrez or whoever we sign won’t feel pressured as a direct replacement of a world class player.
Please no. Looks like another luxury player. We need someone tireless
Keep hearing this arda turan link being made. Probably fits that tireless category.
Didn’t Turan make disparaging remarks about Arsenal when he joined Barca? Since then, I’ve always wished the pox on him. My powers seem to be quite formidable, given the trajectory of his career recently.
Have to say if this was to happen I’d be very underwhelmed. Another “luxury” player is not what we need.
A typical wenger tactic over the years is to admit interest in players we are not interested in. He does it to try and divert attention away from actual targets. He rarely admits interest in players we actually end up signing unless it’s at a massively advanced stage. If a journalist is on the right track he usually responds with – ‘if we sign someone we will tell you’. I don’t think and hope this one will not happen.
I agree. It’s a typical Wenger tactic. I think the talk of Turan and Mahrez is to put pressure on Ozil to get his contract sorted.
Shhhhh!
Its come down to a luxurious result thats the crux of the matter. THE ARSENAL WAY!!!
Mahrez in, Theodore out?
Would you take a straight swap for Walcott?
Mahrez in Walcott out
Marez and Sanchez on the left Marez on the right and Ozil in the middle with Greizeman up front hmmm salivating.
Just feels like a red herring to me the boss is after someone else
Let’s do it pls…he’s no doubt one of the top top quality the boss was talking about
I see him as an upgrade to Walcott, not a replacement for Ozil. I have been quite expecting this transfer although the shift to back three may make this to not happen. Depends on Wenger’s plan for which formation he wishes to stick to for the long run.
Walcott and Mahrez are not straight alternatives. In character, the Arsenal man is an attacking forward, Mahrez a midfielder. Walcott had 10 goals in 28 league appearances last season; Mahrez 6 goals in 36 appearances (from squawka). Pass accuracy roughly the same (76% v 78%). Surprisingly, Walcott won more duels than Mahrez (50% v 43%). In all competitions, Walcott scored 19 goals at an average of 1 every 130 mins — second only to Giroud (16 goals at 1 every 111 mins) of all Arsenal players (my stats, I don’t have the same stats for Mahrez). I’d be interested to… Read more »
Thanks that’s an awesome reply was worth reading every word!
Any stats on crossing? I always thought he’s a better crosser than Walcott
Yeah but keep alexis too though.
Or this could all be a smoke screen for something else.
I’ll be honest. This does not excite me.
I don’t think he’ll ever come close to 2015-16 season.
I agree that the prospect of Mahrez (given our new system) doesn’t excite me as much as when we were linked with him last Summer. But come on, he’s not Vardy. Mahrez quite clearly has the technical ability to repeat the kind of success he had in 2015/16. Like Hazard last year, more a question of getting himself motivated again. Though of course this is pointless waffle as Wenger’s never this open about transfer targets! As others have commented, seems like a smoke-screen for someone else
Marhez has already shown he can do it in the primers league and to me he is a young version of Carzola, I feel he would be a good addition to the side he can play wide or through the middle I would only spend £40 million max though.
If Ozil won’t sign as well get rid of him and Marhez can still pass a ball and play in Ozil position we should get £30 – £40 million for Ozil.
Yup i’d definitely go for him. With a 352 the 3 at the back gives us good foundation. With kolansic/ bellerin/ ox taking up the flanks its gonna b attacking wing backs. Add to that 2 deadly attacking wingers we really can b stretching teams. Alexis running backcflase 9 stylewill allow mesut/ mahrez to run in behins n all 3 will b super creative. Welbz iwobi n giroud would b gd backups.
Kolasinac mate…
Would welcomed him but not 40m.
If Wenger can revitalize him, we could have better balance between him and Alexis on either flank. Ozil in the middle, Ox also featuring in rotation. There’s reason to keep 3-4-3 but no reason not to go back to 4-2-3-1 either IF provided we solve the midfield which we should. The biggest danger is Wenger neglecting to strengthen midfield which has been our achilles heel this season because he thinks 3-4-3 has solved it. One injury to Granit say and over reliance on a likely injury liability in an aging Santi will plunge us into deep issues again. Being able… Read more »
Get him. Good squad player.
Makes more sense than Mbappe. I mean for the price they are haggling on at 87-95m, may as well just get Mahrez now or for the matter throw money at PSG (say60-70m) and test their resolve to keep say Draxler. Mbappe is a hefty risk at the price. He’s a younger player and if he struggles for consistency, we are left with a huge hole to balance which will impact future dealings. I think the issue of course also hinges on the player’s personal preference, perhaps Mbappe, is more eager for Arsenal than Mahrez (Waiting on Barca maybe) Greizzman is… Read more »