Absent Mahrez set to miss Man City match

LONDON – Agence France-Presse

Riyad Mahrez looks likely to miss this weekend’s match against Manchester City, with Leicester’s star player reportedly absent from training since he failed to force through a move to the Premier League leader.

It would be the third consecutive league game the Algeria winger has missed since Pep Guardiola’s City failed to get its man on Jan. 31, transfer deadline day.

Despite a second transfer request from the player in eight months, Leicester reportedly held out for a deal worth 80 million pounds ($111 million), with even City’s cash-rich Abu Dhabi owners unwilling to go beyond 60 million.

The Times newspaper reported on Feb. 7 that Leicester was considering asking the Professional Footballers’ Association to mediate in the dispute with the forward if no agreement could be reached.

It said the 26-year-old, who has missed Leicester’s past two matches, against Everton and Swansea, was absent for a fourth successive training session on Feb. 6.

It is understood that even if Mahrez reports back for duty, it is unlikely he will feature against Guardiola’s team on Feb. 10.

Mahrez is unhappy that Leicester was determined to secure such a huge profit on a player it bought for a reported 350,000 pound from French second-division side Le Havre in 2014.