Riyad Mahrez wants to stay at Leicester, says Claudio Ranieri
Wednesday 20 July 2016 10:13, UK
Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri says reigning PFA Players' Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez wants to remain with the Premier League champions.
The 25-year-old Algeria international has been with Leicester since 2014 and enjoyed a superb 2015-16 campaign, scoring 17 times for the title-winning Foxes.
Several of Leicester's key performers were subsequently linked with moves away from the club and, despite England forward Jamie Vardy deciding to stay rather than join Arsenal, France midfielder N'Golo Kante was sold to Chelsea.
However, Ranieri does not expect Mahrez to leave and believes Leicester's squad is now settled ahead of their title defence.
Speaking after Tuesday's 2-1 friendly win at Oxford, Ranieri said: "I think everybody here is happy. It's finished, the market has finished."
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Asked specifically if he had spoken to Mahrez, Ranieri said : "Yes, he wants to stay."
Mahrez has three years left on his contract and may be offered a new deal, while Vardy and captain Wes Morgan have already agreed new contracts this summer.
Leicester eased their way back into action with victory at the Kassam Stadium with Mahrez playing the opening 45 minutes before wholesale changes were made.
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