Declining Stats Suggest Leicester Star Riyad Mahrez Might Not Be Worth His Price Tag
Leicester City midfielder and former Premier League champion Riyad Mahrez has been linked with several potential transfers this window.
Rumors have circulated with bids in the area of £30m, but Foxes manager Claude Puel stated that Mahrez will be worth around £100m come summer.
Mahrez should sit far below the £100m mark, even with the high amounts of money circulating the transfer market currently. The attacking midfielder broke onto the scene in Leicester's magical title run two years ago, but hasn't returned to the same level of play since.
Mahrez has regained some of his title-winning form this year, yet still is below his old numbers in nearly every statistical category. While he still retains the talent to play in any squad in the Premier League, his stats show his play isn't worth the price tag attached with it, especially if Puel finds his way with a £100m bid.
Mahrez's scoring ability has declined since 2015-2016, which should raise concerns for a 26-year-old attacking player. He's had less goals, fewer shots, and hasn't been as effective with the ball at his feet. The midfielder has also been caught offsides more than ever in his career, and hasn't been able to draw as many fouls as he has in the past.
Category* | 2015/16 | 2017/18 |
Goals | .46 | .33 |
Shots | 2.3 | 2 |
Successful Dribbles | 3.5 | 2.2 |
Offsides | 0.1 | 0.3 |
Poor Touches | 2.1 | 2.5 |
Fouls Drawn | 2.2 | 1.5 |
*all stats are per match
Mahrez has found some career success this season, passing at a better rate than ever before. He's completing more passes per match than any other of his Premier League campaigns, and at a higher accuracy.
Despite his passing achievements, he's found trouble moving his team into direct attacking positions from his feet. He's found teammates in dangerous areas less often, and has created far fewer 'Big Chances' for the Foxes.
Category* | 2015/16 | 2017/18 |
Passes | 27.9 | 33.3 |
Passing Accuracy | 73.6% | 79.3% |
Key Passes | 1.8 | 1.5 |
'Big Chances Created' | .54 | .42 |
Through Balls | 0.4 | 0.2 |
*all stats are per match
On the defensive side of things, Mahrez's decline is clear. He's tracked back far less, and his success when challenging for the ball is far lower than two seasons ago. He's won just 61% of his tackles this year, compared to 74% in 2015-2016. Mahrez is averaging .58 interceptions per match currently, much less than his 1.1 per match average in the past.
The decrease in his activity level is also shown through his lack of 50/50 balls won, dropping from 3.5 per match to 2.2 this year. His decline in defensive form coupled with his dipping offensive play should both be reasons for clubs to lower their bids.
Mahrez is surely nowhere near Puel's dreamland £100, and his value is likely somewhere around the £30m that is speculated to have been offered. The Algerian has been linked to Liverpool as a potential replacement for Coutinho, as well as many other clubs looking to improve their attacking play.
Those looking to buy should be wary of his current form, not wanting to waste money on an expensive player performing below his value.
