Manchester City continue to spend big and acquire big name players in the summer transfer window. In signing Riyad Mahrez, the 2015-16 PFA Player of the Year during Leicester City’s shocking Premier League title winning campaign, City broke the club’s transfer fee record.
This is the club’s first signing of the summer, but it’s certainly a big and bold addition. The 27-year-old winger moves to the Etihad for £60 million, and thus ends a transfer saga that has been going on since January.
According to the BBC: “Mahrez handed in a transfer request in January but his move broke down with Manchester City not prepared to pay a £95m package demanded by Leicester.”
The Algerian international scored 48 times (39 in league competition) in his 179 appearances with the Foxes.
“I am so pleased to have joined City, a side playing great football under Pep Guardiola,” Mahrez said in a statement on the club’s official website.
The best things come to those who wait… ?#welcomeriyad to Manchester City! ? #mancity pic.twitter.com/lLjJZrz4J0
— Manchester City (@ManCity) July 10, 2018
“Watching them from afar has been a pleasure. Pep is committed to playing attacking football, which is a perfect for me, and City’s performances last season were outstanding. They’re redefining the English game and I wanted to be a part of it.
“I think we can be successful over the coming years and I believe my own game can develop under Pep’s management.”
It remains to be seen where he fits in the starting XI. While is he an elite player, the reigning Premier League champions do have plenty of options already within that position group.
Guardiola will have plenty of time in the preseason to figure it out.
Here is City’s full preseason schedule:
20 July v Borussia Dortmund (Soldier Field, Chicago)
25 July v Liverpool (MetLife Stadium)
28 July v Bayern Munich (Hard Rock Stadium, Miami)
5 Aug v Chelsea (Wembley) FA Community Shield
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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