Riyad Mahrez is set to secure a move to English champions Manchester City from Leicester for a reported fee of £60m ($79m) seven months after the Foxes turned down an offer from City, according to British media reports on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old Algerian international – whose performances in Leicester’s astonishing title win in 2016 earned him the players player of the year award – is according to Sky Sports News due to undergo a medical at City later this week.
Mahrez — who signed from French side Le Havre for just £400,000 in 2014 — sat out two matches following Leicester’s demanding £80million for him after declining a £50million offer plus young winger Patrick Roberts, who is valued at £15million, from City during the January transfer window.
However, both Press Association Sport and Sky Sports report that with Leicester having signed highly-rated James Maddison from second-tier Norwich City for £24m and with a month to go to the falling of the transfer window curtain they are now willing to sell him.
Leicester have allowed him extra time off since Mahrez — who has made 179 appearances for Leicester, scoring 48 times — went off on international duty for his country in June.
Mahrez along with striker Jamie Vardy and French midfielder N’GoloKante became unlikely household names during the title winning season as Italian manager Claudio Ranieri engineered one of the greatest sporting surprises of all time.
Mahrez scored 17 goals in that campaign, and then having signed a four year contract played a major role in the club reaching the Champions League quarter finals in 2016/17 as he contributed four goals.
Serie A side AS Roma subsequently came after him last summer but were left frustrated as several offers with the highest reportedly £32m fell well short of Leicester’s expectations.
In another development, Internazionale have completed the signing of Kwadwo Asamoah on a free transfer from Juventus.
A statement published on the Serie A website on Monday confirmed that the versatile wideman officially signed for Inter on May 17, with the domestic heavyweights confirming the deal on their website.
The 29-year-old has put pen to paper on a three-year deal with Luciano Spalletti’s side.
Asamoah confirmed in May that he would not be renewing his contract with Juventus, despite a new offer being on the table, after representing the Old Lady for six years.
Since moving to Turin in 2012, he won six Serie A titles with the Italian giants, as well as four Italian Cups. His contract officially ended on June 30.
His time with Juventus was ravaged by injuries, although he still managed to make 156 outings for the club.
Inter also confirmed a deal to bring Dutch defender Stefan de Vrij to the club on a free transfer from Lazio. The international defender has signed a five-year deal with the Nerazzurri.
“It’s been a tough decision to make, because for six years, Juventus has been my life, and everyone here has been my family,” Asamoah told KweséESPN after revealing his decision to seek a change of scene.
“Leaving Juventus is like leaving a family for good but I needed to do this for my family.
“I am leaving with a lot of great memories from the trophies I have won at the club, to some of the greatest players I have worked with on a daily basis,” he added.
“Juventus just didn’t change my career and make me a better player, it made me a better man too.”
