Transfer battle shouldn’t deter Spurs from bid for Riyad Mahrez – but Pochettino should be wary

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen on Riyad Mahrez.

Reports emerging from The Mirror over the weekend have suggested that Tottenham Hotspur are back in the race to sign Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez.

Mahrez, 26, was catapulted into the spotlight during Leicester’s historic 2015-16 Premier League-winning campaign, as he hit 17 goals in 37 games for the Foxes, becoming a star as a result.

The Algerian was an unknown in France with Le Havre before joining Leicester, and whilst he looked set to become a world beater, Mahrez hasn’t been able to find that same consistency ever since.

After blowing hot and cold both last season and in the opening weeks of this term, Mahrez is believed to be angling for a move away from the King Power Stadium in 2018, with The Mirror claiming that Tottenham are interested.

Following Leicester’s title win, few would have given Tottenham a real chance of signing Mahrez, but his drop-off in form last season meant that the club who pursued him most intently over the summer was in fact Roma.

A transfer battle with Roma should not be daunting for Spurs; Tottenham have beaten off bigger competition for players of late, and Mahrez may provide the game-changing ability that Mauricio Pochettino needs.

Whilst Mahrez appears to be much more attainable for Spurs than he did immediately after Leicester’s title win, Pochettino should also be wary over a deal for the Algerian, as they is certainly a reason why his stock has dropped since the summer of 2016.

Mahrez’s effort has been brought into question, something which wouldn’t sit well with Pochettino and his high-pressing style, whilst one school of thought may well suggest that Mahrez is a one-season wonder, who will never quite manage to hit the heights of his 2015-16 campaign.

At around £30million, Mahrez could be worth pursuing for Tottenham, but Pochettino should be wary of his drop-off in form over the last 18 months if Spurs really are plotting a January bid for the winger.