Mahrez

[Mike - True Blue Tinter]

We hold all the cards here. Mahrez is not a declining asset. He only cost £0.3million, so there is no investment cost to recoup.

We have loads of money. We do not need to sell him in order to bring in his replacement. I agree with others who suggest we post him out at 'Only offers in excess of £40million will be considered'.

I am sure any 'verbal' agreement about being allowed to go did not include 'at any price'.

If Siggurdson and Barkley can have £50million price tags, then so can Mahrez.

I am quite happy for Mahrez to be benched, even if he is on £5million a year, unless he adopts a "I will put myself in the shop window' attitude, rather than just turning into mardy arse.

It is time the clubs told the agents to f*** off trying to move the players to line their own pockets.

 

[Jeff]

Mahrez is not a declining asset.

But he has a value which will go down if we make him train with the kids for the next year.

We could end up with a Berahino situation. West Brom turned down bids of around twice what they eventually sold him for.


Hopefully he'll realise that the best way to get a move is to play well, so if he's still here at the start of the season we might see the kind of performance that will lead to a bidding war by clubs desperate for a signing before the window closes.

 

[Miles Away]

**** me some short memories on here.

 

[Lako42]

**** me some short memories on here.

Seems those with short memories are in tune with football clubs around Europe in terms of their thinking on Mahrez.

Shame the footballing world doesn't share the view of those with blue tinted specs on, we'd be in for a ****ing windfall.

 

[Brown Nose]

**** me some short memories on here.

Yep.

Mahrez is a flair player. His attitude and effort was the same last season as in his first eighteen months at the club. People just decided that he wasn't trying. Of course he was trying.

Last season, his confidence took a hit and his performance levels dropped just like most of his teammates.

He's an easy target because of his style and because it's clear that he thinks he should be at a bigger club. I don't have an issue with either of those things. I accept his style and his ambition.

However, he's not wanted by the sort of mega club that he could improve at. So I think he's better off here for another year determined to impress rather than moving on to a second rate 'big' club like Arsenal or Roma or Monaco.

I also think that we downplay the fact that he could have agitated for a move last season and got a mega club but he opted to stay. Unlike Kante, he showed us loyalty and respect.

It's a pity many of our fans can't do similar.

On the other hand, I think the way his agent is behaving and advising him is terrible.

 

[City Fan]

Unlike Kante, he showed us loyalty and respect

Unlike Kante, he made a terrible decision in staying.

 

[Micky]

Based upon other fees (Sigurdsson and Walker) I would ask for £60 million. Either stump up the cash or don't bother calling.

 

[City Fan]

Based upon other fees (Sigurdsson and Walker) I would ask for £60 million. Either stump up the cash or don't bother calling.

But you're comparing to two players who had a great season last season. And the season before that. And the season before that.

Clubs won't want to risk £60m on a player on the off chance that he'll replicate his 15/16 form. They'll want to spend that kind of money on players where they'll know what they'll get. I.e. players who are consistently good every season, not on a player excellent 1 in every 3 seasons.

Unfortunately his performances last season have done nothing to dispel the "one season wonder" many supporters of other teams called him at the end of 15/16.

 

[consty]

Here's another thought... why not accept whatever we can get - which will be lower than we'd like/cut price (see figure below) and insert a higher than usual 'sell-on' clause. Thus if he returns to the kind of form he thinks he's capable of and thinks he can replace Messi at Barcelona in a year or two (his probable ambition) then his next club could sell him on for £60m-£90m. A nice slice of that would make up for a cut price deal now. If he doesn't sell for that then it likely means he wasn't worth more than the £30m or so we'll have to ultimately accept at the moment. Agreed £20m is a joke but I really do think that £30m-£35m is a price we'll have to snatch hands for. Let's do so with a high sell-on clause.

 

[FIF]

If we think he's any good we should hold onto him. If we think he's a one season wonder we should get rid. He's on a long term contract the ball is in our court not his.

 

[consty]

FIF, if we were talking about a machine I'd agree with you, but unfortunately we are talking about a human being. A demotivated employee is a liability not an asset at worst and, usually, a much under-performing one. The latter is what we've got now (which could even turn into a liability - remember we're paying £100k per week for someone who could end up on the bench if he stays).
If he stays, the best we'd likely get out of him is what we got last season. This will get the fans on his back and hardly lead to a revival in form. But I really think Mahrez is not capable of a revival at LCFC due to the demotivation I've mentioned above. If he keeps his place in the team at last seasons under-performing levels it will also lead to Gray leaving in January which is not in our long term interests, he is Mahrez's replacement. If we play Gray instead due to poor performances of Mahrez then the latter goes on the bench & his price continues to fall so that in January we'd have to accept the £20m-£25m that we are rightly rejecting at the moment.
I don't think we hold all the aces therefore & think that we should tempt a club into gamble at £30m-£35m - with a high sell-on clause so that we may well end up with £50m in the end.

 

[FIF]

FIF, if we were talking about a machine I'd agree with you, but unfortunately we are talking about a human being. A demotivated employee is a liability not an asset at worst and, usually, a much under-performing one. The latter is what we've got now (which could even turn into a liability - remember we're paying £100k per week for someone who could end up on the bench if he stays).
If he stays, the best we'd likely get out of him is what we got last season. This will get the fans on his back and hardly lead to a revival in form. But I really think Mahrez is not capable of a revival at LCFC due to the demotivation I've mentioned above. If he keeps his place in the team at last seasons under-performing levels it will also lead to Gray leaving in January which is not in our long term interests, he is Mahrez's replacement. If we play Gray instead due to poor performances of Mahrez then the latter goes on the bench & his price continues to fall so that in January we'd have to accept the £20m-£25m that we are rightly rejecting at the moment.
I don't think we hold all the aces therefore & think that we should tempt a club into gamble at £30m-£35m - with a high sell-on clause so that we may well end up with £50m in the end.

I agree with you 100%

 

[Micky]

Based upon other fees (Sigurdsson and Walker) I would ask for £60 million. Either stump up the cash or don't bother calling.

I am comparing him to a full back that can't defend and a midfielder that has played a key role in a team that has fought off relegation (for a number of seasons). I also think Mahrez wasn't as bad last season as some people suggest.

 

[FIF]

I am comparing him to a full back that can't defend and a midfielder that has played a key role in a team that has fought off relegation (for a number of seasons). I also think Mahrez wasn't as bad last season as some people suggest.

Your first two points are bang on. especially the unspectacular team performances of Siggy. Regrettably people seem to be able to big up average players but not Mahrez.

 

[Micky]

I predict that Mahrez is absolutely fine and not demotivated in the slightest. He strikes me as the kind of lad that will get on with whatever comes his way.

 

[FIF]

I predict that Mahrez is absolutely fine and not demotivated in the slightest. He strikes me as the kind of lad that will get on with whatever comes his way.

I also think if he stays he'll play to the best of his ability.

 

[Lako42]

I predict that Mahrez is absolutely fine and not demotivated in the slightest. He strikes me as the kind of lad that will get on with whatever comes his way.

If that's the case he would have kept his gob shut and allowed nature to take its place.

The bloke wants out, he doesn't want to play for Leicester, he's made it public.

An unsettled Mahrez will be complete bobbins, he's already proved it.

It's also not the case that this is a recent development. He wanted out before last season and we fixed the problem by throwing money at him.

 

[Micky]

If that's the case he would have kept his gob shut and allowed nature to take its place.

The bloke wants out, he doesn't want to play for Leicester, he's made it public.

An unsettled Mahrez will be complete bobbins, he's already proved it.

It's also not the case that this is a recent development. He wanted out before last season and we fixed the problem by throwing money at him.

Perhaps his agent needs to keep his gob shut.

 

[alex]

Personally, I feel very lucky to have lived through a time where Foxes could strut with players like Mahrez.

He can go - he did everything here. No less than £40m though. And I for one, will always hold Mr Mahrez close to the heart. What a player. Possibly one of the best in the world two seasons' ago. A Leicester City legend.

 

[glyn]

I also think if he stays he'll play to the best of his ability.

And if he moves to a top team he will be fantastic in my opinion, which is why we should be seeking a proper sum for him.