Riyad Mahrez has told Leicester City chairman and board that he wants to leave. (Source: AP)
AS Roma have publicly said that they’ve bid multiple times for Leicester City’s midfielder Riyad Mahrez but have been turned down each time. AS Roma sporting director Monchi has said the Italian club has made large offers to get the Algerian from the former English Premier League champions to Rome but have not been given the green signal yet. At the same time, he revealed the club are looking at other options should the deal not work out. As per reports in the British press, the Italians made three offers during the summer window and all have been rejected.
“I am happy with the effort the club is making to take him…I do not think the club has often bid over 30 million euros ($35.22 million),” Monchi has told reporters. “If my memory does not deceive me, the latest offer would be the club’s most expensive purchase in our history. We are, therefore, engaged and expect an answer. But it is true that we are working on other solutions. The player has expressed his will publicly, but he is right to respect his club. In the end all will be resolved according to Leicester’s will to accept it or not.”
If Monchi’s word is correct, AS Roma have bid higher than their previous most expensive signing of €36.50 million that brought Gabriel Batistuta to the club from Fiorentina in 2000/01.
Mahrez who played a key role in Leicester winning the Premier League in 2016, struggled with form in the last campaign. Since his arrival from French side Le Havre in 2014, he has scored 35 goals in over 100 matches for the Foxes. He had joined the English side for €500,000.
