Riyad Mahrez to Chelsea: Leicester accept £45m deadline day bid - report

CHELSEA have had a £45million bid for Riyad Mahrez accepted by Leicester.

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Chelsea transfer news Riyad MahrezGETTY

Chelsea have had a bid for Riyad Mahrez accepted by Leicester

Chelsea want to sign a playmaker before the 11pm deadline and Mahrez will head to London for a medical.

BeIN Sport claim Leicester have granted Mahrez permission to speak to the Blues.

The Algeria international was released from national duty today and headed to Paris in order to complete a deal.

Chelsea have been gunning to sign players all day with little luck on the issue.

Manager Antonio Conte has been seen his side linked with a number of players, including Mahrez’s Leicester team-mates Jamie Vardy and Danny Drinkwater.

Mahrez handed in a transfer request earlier this summer but has continued to perform at the top level of Leicester throughout the window.

Barcelona were said to be interested in the player but Express Sport understands that deal was never likely to happen.

The reported agreement comes as Chelsea also close in on Torino wing-back Davide Zappacosta.

The 25-year-old will cost Conte £23m plus add-ons.

As for Mahrez, this is what the Algerian football association said on the player leaving their training base to seek a deadline day deal.

"Leicester City's Algerian international Riyad Mahrez, who is currently with the national team in Sidi Moussa to prepare for the double confrontation against Zambia for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, was authorised by the national coach Lucas Alcaraz and the Algerian Football Federation to make an express trip to Europe to formalise on Thursday his transfer to his new club,” the statement read.

"The national team will fly without him on Thursday morning to Lusaka to face Zambia on Saturday."

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