- Reports suggest a major boost for Arsenal in their Riyad Mahrez pursuit
- The winger has a gentleman’s agreement to leave Leicester City
- However, Arsenal will only be able to do a deal if they pay up for the Algerian
- READ MORE: Arsenal transfer news: Shock Man Utd swap deal touted, £5.4m bargain eyed
Arsenal have received a major boost in their transfer pursuit of Leicester City star Riyad Mahrez if latest speculation from France is anything to go by.
Le Buteur recently linked Mahrez as a target for the Gunners, while the Express claimed he was in talks over joining Liverpool but holding out for an offer from his favoured option Arsenal.
The latest now seems to be that the Algeria international has a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ in place with Leicester to move this month as long as they receive a suitable offer, according to France Football, as translated by the Metro.
There’s no doubt the signing of Mahrez could be very welcome at the Emirates Stadium given Arsene Wenger’s current crisis in attack.
Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are both nearing the ends of their contracts, and their departures would leave the club extremely thin of top quality in their front three.
Wenger has started with a trio of Alexandre Lacazette, Danny Welbeck and Alex Iwobi in recent games, and the combination has not looked at all convincing.
Mahrez, meanwhile, has shone for Leicester this season and is a similar style of player to Sanchez, and one who looks ideal for the way Wenger likes his sides to play.
Still, Arsenal aren’t exactly known for splashing out in the transfer market so it remains to be seen if they will step up and table the kind of offer the Foxes are looking for.