Robert Huth to Miss Start of Season as Leicester Boss Confirms 'No Bids' for Riyad Mahrez
Leicester City manager Craig Shakespeare has confirmed that club captain Robert Huth will miss the start of the season after an ankle operation, but admitted that he had initially feared the injury to the 32-year-old German would be much worse.
Speaking ahead of the Foxes' Premier League Asia Trophy game against West Brom, Shakespeare also said that no clubs have made an official bid for winger Riyad Mahrez, despite a number of reports linking him to Arsenal.
Shakespeare, who took over from Claudio Ranieri midway through last season, said: "Riyad stated his position really clearly, mine is really simple, while he is here and while we have had no bids - we have had none officially - he has to be committed to the football club.
"I have to say in the two weeks he has been back he has been totally committed. We want him to stay, I would like him to stay."
Pressed on whether he believed Mahrez will still be a Leicester player at the end of the transfer window, he admitted: "I'm not sure."
Huth's surgery, meanwhile, came after he returned to the club for pre-season training suffering the same discomfort in his ankle that he finished last season with - the club taking the option of surgery to sort the problem entirely rather than waiting on an uncertain timetable for a natural recovery.
"He's had an ankle operation," he said, "which thankfully was really successful, we've had some more positive news on it and I'm expecting six to eight weeks. It's unfortunate for Robert but we thought the diagnosis might be worse."
