Barcelona targeting Leicester City's Riyad Mahrez

Posted Friday, April 08, 2016 by Marca.com

Barcelona are this morning being linked with a move for Leicester City's Algerian star Riyad Mahrez. According to a report in English paper, the Daily Mirror, Barcelona are one of a number of clubs looking at Mahrez ahead of the summer transfer window.

Leicester City have been the surprise of the season with the club on course to win their first ever English title, less than one year after narrowly avoiding relegation from England's top flight.

Mahrez has been the driving force behind the club's attacks from his position on the right wing and is a real candidate to lift the coveted PFA Player of the Year award. Leicester City are acutely aware their stars will be in the crosshairs of Europe's biggest clubs and it is believed that the club will be willing to let one of N'Golo Kante or Riyad Mahrez to leave the club.

Barcelona have arguably the strongest attacking trio in the world, with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez. It is unlikely Mahrez would displace any of those individuals but the Algerian has the technical qualities to fit right into Barcelona's squad.

There is even less of a pressing need to add Mahrez to the squad with Arda Turan available as backup to any of the famed front three. It could be argued that with Andres Iniesta advancing in years and Paul Pogba likely to be extortionately expensive, it would be Kante that would appear the more sensible signing for Barcelona than Mahrez.

Of course, with the prolonged uncertainty regarding Neymar's contract extension at the Camp Nou, along with Manchester United's constant hovering over the Brazilian's situation, it may well be the case that Barcelona could be looking to replace the former Santos star this summer.

Mahrez cost Leicester City 500,000 Euros from Le Havre in 2014, and after signing a contract extension through to June 2019 earlier this season, it is expected that any move for him would cost in the region of 30million euros.