Mahrez hands in transfer request after Manchester City bid

Leicester City’s Algerian star Riyad Mahrez on Tuesday reportedly hand in a transfer request after Manchester City lodged an audacious bid to sign the winger before the transfer deadline on Wednesday night.

It is understood City made a £50 million bid for the 26-year-old, prompted by the injury sustained by Leroy Sane in his side’s FA Cup win at Cardiff on Sunday.

Sane has been ruled out for six to seven weeks with ankle ligament damage.

Asked about his interest in Mahrez, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said: “Right now, it’s not the place to talk about it. It’s so difficult.”

Mahrez joined Leicester City in 2014 from French side Le Havre for a fee believed to be in the region of £400,000.

He helped Leicester win the Championship in his first season at the King Power Stadium, as the side earned promotion into the Premier League.

The Algerian was part of the Leicester team that won the Premier League in the 2015-16 season, and was voted the Algerian Footballer of the Year, the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, and was a member of the Premier League PFA Team of the Year.

Mahrez was linked with a move away from the King Power in the summer, with reports strongly linking him with Arsenal but a deal never materialized.

Italian side AS Roma also had an interest, making three bids but Leicester rejected all of them despite reports that the player had then also made a transfer request.

The winger signed a new four-year contract with the Foxes in 2016, which runs until 2020.

Guardiola however sees the Algerian as a suitable replacement for Sane, and is keen to strengthen his side especially after missing out on Alexis Sanchez who instead chose derby rivals Manchester United.