Riyad Mahrez ends his transfer standoff by returning to Leicester’s training ground ahead of Manchester City clash
The 26-year-old has not trained with his team-mates since Manchester City launched a bid to sign him at the end of the January transfer window
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Riyad Mahrez has ended a ten-day transfer standoff with Leicester City by returning to the club’s training ground today.
The Algerian was pictured arriving in a black people carrier on Friday morning, less than 24 hours after manager Claude Puel appealed to him to "get his head right" and return.
Puel indicated Mahrez would not be available for Saturday's game against Manchester City, but The Independent understands Mahrez was now keen to play against the team who tried to buy him on transfer deadline day.
Mahrez has neither trained nor played with the Leicester team since transfer deadline day when Leicester rejected a bid from the Premier League leaders.
Only a day previous, the Professional Footballs’ Association offered their assistance in the ongoing dispute between Mahrez and Leicester. Although the offer has been acknowledged by Leicester, neither the club nor Mahrez have reached out to the players’ union for aid.
PFA chief executive Gordan Taylor confirmed the organisation’s offer on Tuesday, adding that “we are ready to act if we are called in”.
“We offered our services last week to the club to try to help resolve it and I was told that they were hoping with the passage of time that it could be resolved, but I’ve not heard anything back from them since,” he said.
“We are ready to act if we are called in.
“We’ve got to reconcile a difficult situation. It’s public knowledge about Manchester City wanting to take him. It didn’t take place, and there’s a fallout, which makes it difficult. You can see the problems with both sides.
“I don’t claim we can make a difference, but in the past we have made a difference when we’ve been called in to mediate and understand the situation from both sides. We can only do our best. I just feel it needs somebody from outside to deal with it.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments