As Leicester City brace themselves for life after Mahrez, who could replace him at the King Power Stadium?
After nearly three years of being rumoured to leave Leicester City, this may be Riyad Mahrez’s final season with the club. Manchester City seem set on capturing the Algerian’s signature while Arsenal have been also mentioned once or twice over the past few weeks.
Should Mahrez leave Leicester, the club will have to act fast to replace him, and here are three players they should consider:
Hatem Ben Arfa
The first potential replacement for Mahrez is Hatem Ben Arfa, the skilful French winger currently on the books at PSG. Ben Arfa has already spent some time in the Premier League, spending four years at Newcastle and one on loan at Hull. He is a strong dribbler of the ball and often relies on his footwork to get out of tricky situations, similarly to Mahrez.
Even better, Ben Arfa’s contract with PSG is set to expire in the summer and the French club do not appear interested in renewing it. At 31, his age could prove to be a barrier and Leicester may choose to opt for a slightly younger option.
Johann Berg Gudmundsson
Burnley’s Icelandic winger Johann Berg Gudmundsson has impressed this season and helped guide Burnley to a respectable top-seven finish. Gudmundsson has been ever-present, starting 29 times; scoring twice and assisting a further eight in the process.
Gudmundsson could be the ideal domestic replacement as a player who has impressed in the Premier League recently. Leicester have been reportedly interested in bringing the Icelander to the King Power Stadium. Transfermarkt value Gudmundsson at £3.6 million but it is unlikely that Burnley will be willing to let him go for that cheap.
Patrick Roberts
Perhaps more of a gamble than the other two players on this list, Patrick Roberts is currently on loan at Celtic from Manchester City.
Signed from Fulham in 2015, Roberts has failed to break into City’s first-team and has been on loan in Glasgow since February 2016. The 21-year-old has shown moments of brilliance but has largely failed to feature for Celtic this season.
With a lot of potential, a big break at a Premier League club like Leicester could be just what the young forward needs.
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