Riyad Mahrez's Whereabouts Still Unknown Following Absence From Leicester's Matchday Squad

Former Premier League champions Leicester City were made to play their latest fixture bereft of star winger Riyad Mahrez.

The Foxes played out to a 1-1 draw with Swansea City on Saturday, and up till kick-off, had no idea where Mahrez was, according to BBC Sport reporter Guy Mowbray.

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"There's no sign of him and I don't think we'll be seeing him at all," Mowbray said before the match (H/T Express).

"We haven't seen him at Leicester City training for the past four days and it's one of those situations that does crop up every now and again - player wants move, player doesn't get move.

The Algerian hotshot was the subject of four bids from Manchester City towards the close of the January window. And despite Leicester promising the player he'd be allowed to join a bigger club after he helped fire them to the league title, he was not granted his dream move.

A transfer request from the player was not enough to change the club's stance, and he hasn't been seen since, having alienated himself from Leicester at the risk of incurring a £200,000 fine.

"The longer it goes on, the worse it gets for all concerned as there are no winners in this," Mowbray added. "Manchester City didn't get the player they wanted. Riyad Mahrez didn't get the move he craved. Leicester City haven't got the money they feel their player is worth.

"And, at the moment, they haven't got their player as he's decided he doesn't want to be part of things for the meantime.

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"It's a strange one. I have a degree of sympathy - and only a degree - because he's under contract and should be doing his job.

"He's seen Drinkwater go, he's seen Kante go, I wonder if he was told in the background 'just stay with us a little while longer and give us a bit more' but he hasn't got his move."

Mahrez has always acted very professionally in spite of his desire to leave the King Power Stadium. This recent refusal, however, is believed to have pushed him over the edge.

Leicester should be hoping that he shows up soon, though, as they're still fighting to finish as high as they can on the Premier League table this term