Puel: Mahrez will not face Manchester City this weekend

Riyad Mahrez will not feature against the club that tried to wrest him away from Leicester City in January.

"I think Riyad is not available for Saturday's game. I hope Riyad can get his head right and come back with us and work hard. The best way is for him to come back and enjoy his football," Claude Puel said in a press conference previewing the weekend's trip to Manchester City, according to BBC Sport.

The Algerian was reportedly the subject of multiple bids from Manchester City exceeding £50 million in the final days of the transfer window, but the Premier League's runaway leader backed away when the Foxes slapped a £95-million asking price on his bleached barnet.

Mahrez hasn't played for his club since, and is apparently skipping training after having his dream move kiboshed. The Professional Footballers' Association is alleged to have even offered to act as a mediator between Leicester and Mahrez to resolve the standoff.

Although Puel is commonly a calm presence and has done well to keep much of the matter in-house, BBC commentator Ian Stringer said the manager "seemed stressed" when fielding questions on the Mahrez situation.

"I hope he can come back with a good attitude and prepared to work, but he will need time, and time to be match fit," Puel added.

"It's important this remains inside the club and private, not in the public. The most important thing for me is to keep Riyad and the club and the fans united and in a good way about this. It is important to keep a good feeling together through these difficulties."