Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez. (Photo : Getty Images)
Reigning Premier League champions Leicester City had recently placed a massive £45 million release clause on Riyad Mahrez to fend off the rumored interests of fellow English clubs Arsenal and Manchester City on the talisman winger.
The newly-crowned England football champions had slapped a £45 million valuation on Mahrez, which the club thinks could potentially turn off the Gunners and Citizens from pursuing their chase of the 25-year-old Algeria international, according to the Evening Standard.
Arsenal is said to have been placed on high alert following rumors that Mahrez turned down a contract extension offer from the Foxes this summer, which is actually double than what he had earned last season at the King Power Stadium.
Mahrez signed a new four-year deal last summer, which would keep him with the club until the end of the 2018-2019 season, but there were speculations that he is set to seek an exit from the squad before his contract reaches expiration.
If Arsene Wenger and the Gunners are really keen on signing the Algerian, then they "will have to fork out a massive fee" in order to pull it off, the report said.
Meanwhile, Caught Offside indicated that there is a significant chance of Mahrez choosing to leave Leicester this summer after teammate N'Golo Kanté decided to exit and move to the Stamford Bridge with Chelsea.
The article also mentioned that Pep Guardiola and City are keen on luring Mahrez to the Etihad after the club was "left particularly impressed with his performance against them at the Etihad last season in addition to his overall level of performance across the campaign".
It then continued to report that La Liga champions FC Barcelona is also rumored to be trying to submit an offer for the 5-foot-10 French-born Algerian as Luis Enrique wants to have a reliable backup "to his already formidable attacking line-up" composed of five-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, two-time European Golden Shoe awardee Luis Suárez, and Seleção captain Neymar.
Mahrez had scored 17 times in 37 Premier League appearances last term en route to the English top flight title. Overall, in all competitions, he netted 18 times in 39 games for Leicester City. He led the league with 11 assists, though, last season as he stamped his class as one of the best playmakers in England.
