Why Riyad Mahrez should stay at Leicester City beyond next summer

Riyad Mahrez’s Leicester City career is enveloped in the cloak of uncertainty, but it’s almost as if he doesn’t care.

The Algerian had his dreams ruthlessly shattered by Leicester in January as Manchester City, in one of their notorious attempts to sign a player, came late last January with a £65 million bid for the winger. The gluttonous Foxes, it’s fitting to say, prioritised their hunger over Mahrez’s preferences, giving way to a rather hilarious saga as the 26-year old went AWOL.

However, that’s all in the past now, as the man himself has made clear whenever he has got the chance to – like he did in the 97th minute against AFC Bournemouth, or maybe against West Bromwich Albion just a couple days back?

The fears, though, still remain. Riyad Mahrez has been on the look for a bigger and better club, and he has somehow failed every single time. It’s quite shocking as to how only two teams have ever approached Leicester City for his services – namely AS Roma and Manchester City – but as he keeps developing into a truly world-class player, a departure looks like an inevitability.

That’s partly because of the nature of Europe’s elite in their pursuit of talent, and partly because of the player’s own penchant to be at the Emirates Stadium, the Etihad Stadium or maybe the Camp Nou – but will it actually be a good decision to move elsewhere?

Put laconically, it may not be – and there a number of reasons beyond that. To begin with, most of the current elite who are possibly going to make an offer for Riyad Mahrez don’t at all offer any guarantee over regular playing time because they already have options who are excelling in the same role as the Algerian’s.

Manchester City, for example, are not going to drop Leroy Sane? Arsenal won’t drop Henrikh Mkhitaryan? Liverpool won’t definitely drop Mohamed Salah? Chelsea may or may not prefer him over Willian, and Tottenham Hotspur aren’t an attractive destination anyway if it’s trophies that he wants.

Sadly, Riyad Mahrez has peaked at a time when most of his dream clubs have their wingers sorted, meaning he is only their insurance policy for when the first choice player is either injured or needs to be rested. That kind of a role is an insult to Mahrez, and a sheer waste of immense talent.

Again, would Riyad Mahrez be respected, admired, loved and wanted by the fans at any other club as he is at Leicester City? No. He went AWOL after the failed transfer, and when he finally returned, the fans were still chanting his name. Compare that to Alexis Sanchez’s final days at Arsenal and you’d know the difference.

That is not to know to ridicule the Gunners’ fanbase, but to merely say that it’s easier to for fans at a bigger club to forget one of their best players (and their contributions) because they’re aware that a replacement is just around the corner.

Next: Manchester City saga now behind focused Riyad Mahrez

With clubs like Leicester City, that is not the case. Riyad Mahrez is a once in a decade kind of a player for them, so the recognition at the King Power Stadium is much higher. The fans actually value his talent over here – he’s their hero – but at a European powerhouse, you are one of a number of equally as good players. If you leave, someone will else will step in. Yes, if you’re Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, then that’s a different case altogether.

All in all, Riyad Mahrez might risk becoming a parable of how quickly can things change in modern-day football with one bad decision. It may go wonderfully well for him as well, but as it stands, that idea is a bit far-fetched.