Riyad Mahrez has an uncertain future at Manchester City this summer as his contract is up in 2023 and the Premier League champions will be forced to cash in early if he won’t commit his future beyond next year – the 31-year-old could leave on a free transfer in 2023 otherwise.
Gabriel Jesus, whose contract has 12 months to run, has joined Arsenal. Raheem Sterling, whose contract also has 12 months to run, is closing on a move to Chelsea. City will genuinely worry about losing Mahrez, but Alan Hutton believes the Algerian international will stay in Manchester.
He told Football Insider: “I think (Mahrez is) a great player. Whenever he gets the ball, he’ll make something happen. So of course Pep would want to sign him to a new long-term deal, they paid a lot of money for him but he’s producing as well.”
The 31-year-old joined on a five-year deal from Leicester City in 2018 and has gone on to make 188 appearances in all competitions, scoring 63 goals with 45 assists. Mahrez scored 24 goals with nine assists from 47 games across the board last season, so he’s still an important player.
City have put a new deal on the table for Mahrez to sign and there doesn’t appear to be a top European club looking to pry him from their hands, so the Algerian is better off staying put.
In other news, Noel Whelan says ‘fantastic’ Nathan Ake must leave Man City as Chelsea move looms