Juventus are considering a move for Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez in the summer, as per reports.
Italian publication Calciomercato have reported that Riyad Mahrez has emerged as a summer target for Juventus, and the Italian champions have established contact with Leicester City over a possible move for the Algerian international.
Mahrez has been key to Leicester City’s fortunes in the last three seasons. The 26-year-old had emerged as a promising young talent in the 2014/15 season, as the Foxes miraculously escaped relegation.
The very next season, Leicester sent shock waves across Europe in 2015/16 as they became champions of England against all odds, with Mahrez scoring 17 goals and providing 11 assists before being named as the Premier League and PFA’s Player of the Season.
2016/17 though, has seen Leicester being mired with mediocrity once again, with Claudio Ranieri receiving the boot. Mahrez himself has been underwhelming, with a return of four goals and three assists in the Premier League, a huge contrast to his previous seasons.
And despite a major loss in form, it does not look like clubs have stopped showing an interest in him. In fact, Liverpool have been heavily linked with Mahrez, with Jurgen Klopp keen to add the Algerian to his squad in the summer.
The German tactician currently has just Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane as his possible options on the wings. With his squad seriously lacking depth and directness in play (apart from Mane), Mahrez presents himself as a viable option for Klopp.
But, the Reds look set to face competition in the form of Juventus for Mahrez. The Bianconeri are prioritising the addition of a winger in the summer and have scouted the likes of Domenico Berardi, Federico Bernardeschi and Douglas Costa in recent weeks.
And Mahrez has emerged as another top target on their wishlist, meaning a summer move to the Juventus Stadium could be on the cards. Juan Cuadrado is the current first-choice for The Old Lady and a resurgent Mahrez could certainly be an upgrade for Massimiliano Allegri.
And the addition of Mahrez will also add goals and a burst of creativity in the final third for the Serie A heavyweights, making the 26-year-old a quality prospect indeed.
The Algerian international still has more than three years left to run on his current deal with Leicester and it remains to be seen if either Juventus or Liverpool make a move for him in the summer. One thing is certain though – with Mahrez rediscovering his best form, he could prove to be an asset for any club that he represents.
