'Fiercely ambitious' Mahrez requests transfer from Leicester City
After a disappointing season as the reigning PFA Player of the Year, Riyad Mahrez has informed Leicester City he wants to leave the club in the summer.
In a statement obtained by Sky Sports on Tuesday, the Algerian confirmed that "now is the time for me to move on."
Mahrez decided last August he would remain with the Foxes on the heels of a title-winning march that saw him score 17 goals and provide 11 assists. Arsenal was reportedly enthusiastic about the player, although nothing came to fruition.
Much like Leicester itself, the 26-year-old failed to meet expectations during the 2016-17 campaign, amassing just six goals and three assists and rarely showing the trickery and pace he did the year prior.
The rest of Mahrez's statement read:
Out of the huge admiration and respect I hold for Leicester City Football Club, I wanted to be totally honest and transparent with them and have therefore informed the club that I feel now is the time for me to move on.
I had a good discussion with the chairman last summer and we agreed at the time that I would stay for another year in order to help the club as best as I could following the transition of winning the title and in the Champions League.
However, I am fiercely ambitious and feel that now is the time to move on to a new experience.
I've always enjoyed a good relationship with the chairman and everyone at the club, and I hope I have been able to repay the faith shown to me by performances and commitment on the pitch during my time here.
I've had the four best seasons of my career at Leicester and have loved every moment. I feel immense pride to have been part of what we have achieved during my time at the club, culminating in becoming Premier League champions.
The relationship I share with the club and our amazing fans is something I will treasure forever and I truly hope they will understand and respect my decision.
One of the gems uncovered by former Leicester assistant Steve Walsh, Mahrez arrived in England from Le Havre in 2014 for a negligible £400,000 fee.
He traversed an unusual path to stardom, rising from a Parisian suburb and the lower tiers of French football to become the first African in Premier League history to win the PFA Player of the Year award.
Despite this year's setback, there is not expected to be a shortage of suitors. Arsenal and Tottenham both retain interest in Mahrez, The Telegraph's Matt Law reported earlier this month, while Marseille, headed by U.S. billionaire Frank McCourt, could offer an enticing package.
Leicester hopes to fetch more than £30 million for Mahrez, added Law.