Manchester City Ends Mahrez Interest After Leicester's Price Rises Too High
Manchester City have given up hope of signing Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez, after submitting four formal bids for the Algerian winger in an attempt to get a deal done before the January transfer window closes.
Much has gone on since City expressed an interest in the 26-year-old on Tuesday. Mahrez failed to turn up to training, handed in a formal request and managed to fall out with his teammates over the whole debacle.
But now, according to reports (including Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol), the Citizens have ended their interest in the Algerian, who looks set to remain at the King Power Stadium for the remainder of the season.
It seems as if Leicester were holding out for a package deal valued at around £95m - happy to have taken a player in exchange for Mahrez as well as a transfer fee on top of that.
However, the Premier League leaders refuse to go any higher than £65m - and with both teams so far apart in valuations, the deal always seemed doomed.
Huge questions marks remain over Mahrez now, who is stuck in the Midlands until at least the summer, and has managed to rub his teammates up the wrong after refusing to travel to Merseyside ahead of the Foxes' midweek tie against Everton.
The wide man still has two and a half years left on his Leicester contract, and is said to be frustrated that he has not been allowed to depart - despite the club allowing both N'Golo Kante and Danny Drinkwater to leave for Chelsea in the last two summers.
