Riyad Mahrez tells Leicester he wants to leave

‘I have informed the club that I feel now is the time for me to move on,’ the 26-year-old said

Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez has told the club he wants to leave this summer. Photo: Darren Staples/Reuters
Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez has told the club he wants to leave this summer. Photo: Darren Staples/Reuters

Riyad Mahrez has shocked Leicester City by announcing he wants to be allowed to leave the club in the summer transfer window.

The former PFA Player of the Year, who was instrumental in the team’s Premier League triumph in 2015, has issued a statement stating he is “fiercely ambitious” and feels “this is the time for me to move on”.

The 26-year-old has reportedly attracted interest from other clubs, and on Tuesday confirmed those reports by issuing a statement which read: “Out of the huge admiration and respect I hold for Leicester City Football Club I wanted to be totally honest and transparent with them and have therefore informed the club that I feel now is the time for me to move on.

“I had a good discussion with the chairman last summer and we agreed at that time that I would stay for another year in order to help the club as best as I could following the transition of winning the title and in the Champions League.

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“However, I am fiercely ambitious and feel that now is the time to move on to a new experience. I’ve always enjoyed a good relationship with the Chairman and everyone at the club, and I hope I have been able to repay the faith shown to me by my performances and commitment on the pitch during my time here.”

(Guardian service)