Speculation Riyad Mahrez to...

[bocadillo]

Manchester United or PSG, according to FranceFootball:

Manchester United, with virtually unlimited resources, is interested and has already approached the Algerian international.

,,,but it is equally important for PSG. The capital club is very attentive to [Mahrez}'s performance and has recently made inquiries.

 

[Volpone]

Manchester United or PSG, according to this:

Just discussed in depth on the Radio Leicester phone in, with the French reporter who wrote the story and who correctly predicted Mahrez would be joining us.

He says Mahrez is very unlikely to leave before the summer, if at all.

 

[camberwell fox]

If we do really well this season and the owners are good to their word he isn't going anywhere.

Why would he want to anyway?

 

[tedfoxxx]

Either would be a dreadful move at the moment in terms of his playing time, style and freedom to be himself on the pitch. Although neither the club nor Mahrez could say 'no' if they came in with bids I think he's definitely better off with us for at least until the end of next season. If he can maintain the level he's currently at or something close to it for another 18 months with us and strengthen a couple of other aspects of his game, he will be very, very, VERY hot shit and worth tens and tens of millions. That's the time you move to an 'elite' Champions League club.

 

[Volpone]

Either would be a dreadful move at the moment in terms of his playing time, style and freedom to be himself on the pitch. Although neither the club nor Mahrez could say 'no' if they came in with bids I think he's definitely better off with us for at least until the end of next season. If he can maintain the level he's currently at or something close to it for another 18 months with us and strengthen a couple of other aspects of his game, he will be very, very, VERY hot shit and worth tens and tens of millions. That's the time you move to an 'elite' Champions League club.

Like us, you mean?

 

[M17TT C]

More likely to leave than Vardy imo, not necessarily to PSG or Man Yoo, but still won't be happening soon unless he smashes it at the Euros too.

Unlikely though seeing as, well, he's Algerian!

 

[TommyK]

I can see him leaving in the summer for 20 odd million. Which would a steal.

 

[Redditch Fox]

This is the cruel and harsh reality of the game. Anyone is buyable if the price is right. It's great when we are doing the buying and not so great when the mega clubs come after our best players. just the way it is though. I thought Southampton were dragged too far with their selling and hope that we can limit any key departures.

 

[Mike - True Blue Tinter]

I cannot see why any of our best players would want to move. I defy anyone to convince me that there is a single club that has better training, medical, sports science facilities, better manager or appreciative owners and fans. At the top 3 or 4 clubs neither Vardy or Mahrez would be automatic first choice on the team sheet. They certainly would not change their playing style to accommodate them effectively. (Note to Hodgson, How many goals has Vardy scored from the left wing, dumbnuts!?) More money? They can probably get enough here if they ask nicely. London better than Leicester. If you want to go it is only an hour on the train. Why would you want to be just another striker at Man City when you can be a total hero here at Leicester?

 

[pork pie fox]

There are a lot of blue tinted glasses on in this thread.

 

[Miles Away]

There are a lot of blue tinted glasses on in this thread.

To be fair, let's just see where we are in January. If we are still scrapping around in the top 4 (extremely unlikely given out fixtures) maybe we will be the ones pushing the boat out.

 

[pork pie fox]

To be fair, let's just see where we are in January. If we are still scrapping around in the top 4 (extremely unlikely given out fixtures) maybe we will be the ones pushing the boat out.

I don't doubt that we may spend money ourselves, or persuade some players to stay until the end of the season, if they are wanted in January, but we are still doing ok, but let's be realistic. If Spurs, Liverpool or any of the top 4 come calling, our players will be off as soon as they can.

We can all list many reasons why we think City is a good place to be and we can all scoff at someone earning, for example, £40k per week, wanting more money, but we aren't the ones in that position.

I'm not being negative, just realistic. Look at Southampton, if you want an example. Many of their fans could probably give exactly the same reasons as our fans give, for players not moving. Many of their players were probably earning a decent wedge at Southampton. How many players in the past two years have still moved to one of the 6 clubs I'm talking about? Clyne, Schneiderlin, Shaw, Lallana, Lovren, Chambers, Alderweireld (was on loan but decided against signing with them to sign for Spurs instead), even Rickie Lambert can be lumped in there.

I hope none of them go, but let's be realistic about our place in the food chain.

 

[Robin127]

Lovren, that move worked out well for him.

 

[SwedeFox]

Great post pork pie fox. Would like to add that a move doesn't have to be the rational choice but even if everything Mike said was true I very much doubt that would make the player think twice if there was an offer from Man City/Utd/Chelsea/Arsenal/Liverpool on the table.

 

[Borderfox]

I think the manager hit the nail on the head, to quote Ranieri, 'We don't need the money', 15 million or 20 million quid makes no difference to the owners. The owners want European football, and their willing to pay to get it. Pearson had money but didn't spend it, that's not a criticism he built a great squad from scratch, we are seeing the fruits of that now with the current manager who is utilising the same set of players plus a couple of additions to great effect. Money has never been an issue for the owners if we need to improve a players wages I'm sure any reasonable demands will be met. Fortunately we are not Southampton, they sold the core of their squad in an attempt to improve the quality of the players available by using the transfer market, and consolidate their financial position. I'm not sure it has really worked for them in terms of players they now have, and the monies they are paying and paid in wages and fees. Thankfully City do not need to follow that path and the owners if they wish to can compete with the so called 'big' clubs, but lets be sensible, if a 'big' club comes in and offers silly money for a players signature, on a business level they are going to be tempted, by silly money,I'm speculating double what is already being quoted in various reports, now that would be a bit of good business.

 

[pork pie fox]

I think the manager hit the nail on the head, to quote Ranieri, 'We don't need the money', 15 million or 20 million quid makes no difference to the owners. The owners want European football, and their willing to pay to get it. Pearson had money but didn't spend it, that's not a criticism he built a great squad from scratch, we are seeing the fruits of that now with the current manager who is utilising the same set of players plus a couple of additions to great effect. Money has never been an issue for the owners if we need to improve a players wages I'm sure any reasonable demands will be met. Fortunately we are not Southampton, they sold the core of their squad in an attempt to improve the quality of the players available by using the transfer market, and consolidate their financial position. I'm not sure it has really worked for them in terms of players they now have, and the monies they are paying and paid in wages and fees. Thankfully City do not need to follow that path and the owners if they wish to can compete with the so called 'big' clubs, but lets be sensible, if a 'big' club comes in and offers silly money for a players signature, on a business level they are going to be tempted, by silly money,I'm speculating double what is already being quoted in various reports, now that would be a bit of good business.

How do you know Pearson had money, but chose not to spend it? How do you know Southampton decided to sell their players for that reason?

 

[Volpone]

Great post pork pie fox. Would like to add that a move doesn't have to be the rational choice but even if everything Mike said was true I very much doubt that would make the player think twice if there was an offer from Man City/Utd/Chelsea/Arsenal/Liverpool on the table.

It's all relative and nothing lasts forever. No one would have been tempted to go to Manchester City just a few years ago when they were in the old third division.

There's no reason why another club, not necessarily ourselves, can't break through like they and Chelsea have done. All it takes is money.

 

[Borderfox]

How do you know Pearson had money, but chose not to spend it? How do you know Southampton decided to sell their players for that reason?

Because it was stated by the owners that Pearson had been give a sizeable transfer kitty and didn't use it. Southampton ( or any other team), sell because of a specific business plan aimed at improving their current position, just logic no inside information.

 

[pork pie fox]

Because it was stated by the owners that Pearson had been give a sizeable transfer kitty and didn't use it. Southampton ( or any other team), sell because of a specific business plan aimed at improving their current position, just logic no inside information.

I don't believe Southampton sell because of their business plan. I believe they sell because the players want to go and, these days, there's not a great deal that you can do to stop that.

Someone else once said, "unless you're Barcelona or Real Madrid, you're a selling club" and I think that's pretty much spot on.

Not saying I like it, but that's the way of the world.

 

[Brown Nose]

You largely make good sense PPF.

Personally, I don't think we're quite as far along this track as is being speculated. I think the likes of Vardy and Mahrez are of interest to major clubs but I doubt any are ready to spend serious money on them given less than twenty matches of evidence that they're the real deal.

Having said that, we have been here before. At the beginning of 2000, we had a couple of highly coveted players and we desperately tried to hold onto them. However, when Liverpool called, Heskey went. Ditto Lennon to Celtic. And they went because they wanted to. We didn't need to sell them or want to. In fact, we fought very hard to retain both and massively increased Lennon's wages to keep him for a few extra months. But in the end, they went seeking glory and more money and got both.

The Southampton model is not one to emulate in my opinion. It must be soul destroying to see a constant stream of players head for the exit as soon as they can. Their luck will run out soon enough and they'll be the wealthiest club in the Championship within two to three years.

If we attempt to persuade the likes of Vardy and Mahrez to stay when a genuinely big club comes along, we could well end up suffering. The increase in wages for one or two players way beyond the wages of the rest will end up causing issues and we either overpay the whole group or the spirit will deteriorate anyway.

What we should be doing is announcing plans to extend the stadium and overtly express ambitious medium to long term targets. We should then make sure that we do something impressive in the transfer market at every opportunity and just try to ride this wave for as long as possible.