Leicester City winger and rumoured Arsenal target Riyad Mahrez is reportedly growing in confidence that he can force through a summer transfer to Roma.
The Italian giants are thought to have two bids rejected for Mahrez, who publicly announced his intention to quit the King Power Stadium earlier in the transfer window.
‘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,’ the Algerian said at the end of May.
Since then, Arsenal have been one of the clubs most strongly linked with Mahrez, though their priority seems to be for Monaco winger Thomas Lemar instead for the time being.
This has allowed Roma in, though the club’s sporting director Monchi recently suggested his side were ready to look elsewhere.
‘We’re not just working on one name,’ he said. It’s logical, we have different options. In the case of Mahrez it’s become public knowledge, with others it hasn’t. We’ve made two offers, the second is fair and then we stopped.’
Still, the Daily Mirror claim Mahrez believes he can force his move to the Stadio Olimpico through as he has his heart firmly set on making the switch to Serie A.
Leicester still want as much as £50million for the 26-year-old, who won PFA Player of the Year in 2015/16 after his scintillating form helped the Foxes to a shock Premier League title win.
Mahrez also got his first taste of the Champions League last season, but Leicester’s poor league form meant they could not qualify for the competition for a second season running.
Roma would give Mahrez the chance to play at Europe’s top table once again, and the club are in need of a quality signing in attack after selling Mohamed Salah to Liverpool back in June.
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