Manchester City close to landing long-term target Mahrez

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Bengaluru, July 4: Long-term Manchester City target Riyad Mahrez will have a medical at Manchester City this week after Leicester City accepted a £60million offer for the winger, according to reports in England.

The Premier League winners have been chasing the Algerian for more than a year now and were very close to signing him in January. The 27-year-old is desperate to leave the King Power Stadium and was excused from pre-season training earlier this week as he closes in on his move to the Etihad.

As per earlier reports, Leicester were willing to accept £60m which still was a club record buy for Man City, in this window with Mahrez making it clear he would not return for the Foxes. Now reports claim that the 2016 Premier League Player of the Year will have a medical at the Etihad later this week.

Mahrez had handed in a transfer request and also had agreed terms with Manchester City in January, but the deal collapsed when City refused to pay the £90million asking price set by the Foxes.

After the move fell apart, Mahrez went on strike, missing training sessions and matches. In January, a close friend of the Algerian said the star was "very depressed" over not being allowed to move.

A source close to Mahrez said at the time as per reports: "This is the fourth transfer window in which Leicester have said they will not allow him to leave.

"He feels very strongly that he has done everything in his power to help the club. He played a huge part in his first season, he then helped to make history by winning the Premier League title and he has done what the chairman has asked of him, which was to secure the club’s Premier League safety.

"They let N'Golo Kante go, Danny Drinkwater go — he could have been the record sale in the history of the club. By my calculation, Leicester could have made £59.8m profit on him. He has been told by former team-mates to get out of Leicester.

"He has given his all this season so he could leave in this window. Joining Manchester City would be a dream for him — playing for Pep Guardiola is something he is still desperate to do. He is very down about the way he has been treated by a club he has served so well."

Mahrez eventually returned to action for Claude Puel, after missing two matches after the row, finishing the season in really good form. He was the stellar player for Leicester City when they shook the world to win the Premier League in 2015-16. He was named Player of the Season after scoring 17 goals and making 11 assists.

Last season, he scored 12 goals and made 10 assists for the Foxes which was the key reason behind them finishing in the top half.