Reporter Claims Liverpool 'Contacted' Leicester to Abandon Proposed Mahrez Transfer

Liverpool have "contacted Leicester City directly" to declare that they are not interested in moving for Riyad Mahrez, according to the Press Association's Liverpool writer, Carl Markham.

This news comes following a report from French news outlet L'Eqiupe which also stated the two clubs had been in contact. However, this report suggested that Liverpool were actually winning the race to sign Mahrez in 2018, with a host of other clubs also interested acquiring the winger.

"Understand Liverpool have contacted Leicester City directly to tell them they have no interest in winger Riyad Mahrez - among a number of first-teamers left out of the Foxes' FA Cup team at Fleetwood - and speculation is 'complete fabrication'," Markham wrote on Twitter.

Markham goes on to point out that Liverpool's decisions to declare themselves out of the race for Mahrez could just be a tactic after the backlash that followed their pursuit of Virgil van Dijk over the summer.

"I presume this stems from the fall-out from the Van Dijk shambles last summer with LFC not wanting to be wrongly tarred with that brush again," he added.

Liverpool recently secured the signing of van Dijk on a long-term deal after what seemed like a never-ending transfer saga where the Reds were forced to apologise for approaching the Dutchman over the summer. 

However, a £75m deal was completed before the January transfer window and the former Celtic defender has already made his Liverpool debut - scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Everton.