Riyad Mahrez, one of the inspirations behind Leicester City’s fairytale Premier League title triumph, has told the club he wants to leave, he said in a statement released on Tuesday.
“Out of the huge admiration and respect I hold for Leicester City Football Club I wanted to be totally honest and transparent with them and have therefore informed the club that I feel now is the time for me to move on,” Mahrez said in a statement sent to various media outlets.
Mahrez, 26, was one of the stars of Leicester’s 2015-16 title win and shone as they reached the Champions League quarter-finals this season, but with the club having finished 12th in the table, he now wants to move on.
A source close to Mahrez told AFP the Algeria winger would only leave Leicester for a “big club” and had not yet received any offers.
Mahrez, voted the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Player of the Year last season, said the timing of his departure had been agreed with chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha last year.
“I had a good discussion with the chairman last summer and we agreed at that time that I would stay for another year in order to help the club as best as I could following the transition of winning the title and in the Champions League,” Mahrez said in his statement.
“However, I am fiercely ambitious and feel that now is the time to move on to a new experience.
“I’ve always enjoyed a good relationship with the chairman and everyone at the club and I hope I have been able to repay the faith shown to me by my performances and commitment on the pitch during my time here.”