Manchester City CEO Khaldoon Al Mubarak recently revealed there would more sigings made this summer and publications such as the Daily Telegraph and The Times have narrowed the number down to two – Marc Cucurella of Brighton & Hove Albion and Kalvin Phillips of Leeds United.
That means no more attacking players will be recruited, so it’s unlikely there will be outgoings of a similar nature. Riyad Mahrez was one player with an uncertain future as his contract was up in 2023, but Man City may be gambling that they can tie him down to a new deal.
The 31-year-old joined the Premier League champions on a five-year deal from Leicester City in 2018, setting them back £61m. Mahrez has gone on to make 189 appearances across the board, scoring 63 goals with 46 assists, so he’s been a terrific servant.
This season, the Algerian international has scored 24 goals with nine assists from 47 games. He’s an important to Guardiola, so City wouldn’t let him go if they didn’t have to. But while his contract continues to run down, there will be a fear of losing him for nothing.
If the club are only trying to sign a left-back and defensive-midfielder this summer, however, it doesn’t appear they’re preparing for Mahrez’s exit. What better club is out there for him?