Arsenal Transfer News: N'Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez Double Blow, Latest Rumours

Arsenal have been dealt a major blow in their reported pursuit of Leicester City duo Riyad Mahrez and N'Golo Kante after the Foxes' vice-chairman, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, insisted "we are not selling anyone." 

Leicester were crowned Premier League champions on Monday after second-placed Tottenham Hotspur failed to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, and Aiyawatt—son of club chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha—insisted on Thai television afterwards that the title-winning squad will not be broken up (h/t the Associated Press, via the Guardian): 

"We are not selling anyone. We are not a team who produces players to be developed later by other teams. All players want to stay and keep on fighting together to see how far they can go. So selling players is not on our agenda."

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Kante and Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year Mahrez have caught the eyes of many major European clubs during Leicester's extraordinary season, and Arsenal have been previously linked with a summer move for the pair, per the Daily Express' Michael Potts.

Kante could be a perfect fit at Arsenal to add further steel to their often-understrength central midfield, and it looked as though they had the edge in any transfer battle with Paris Saint-Germain given the Frenchman's fondness for the Premier League, per L'Equipe (via French football writer Jonathan Johnson):

Meanwhile, Mahrez would be a stunning addition to the Gunners attack after a season in which he has netted 17 goals and provided 11 assists in the Premier League, per WhoScored.com. 

An attacking trio of Alexis Sanchez on the left, Mesut Ozil at No. 10 and Mahrez on the right would likely be devastating, especially with Bleacher Report's Dean Jones tipping the Algeria international to be similarly prolific next term:

However, it seems the Leicester hierarchy are not interested in breaking up the side that have pulled off perhaps the most unlikely title triumph in footballing history.

And if they are committed to not selling any of their top players, Arsenal won't be the only team who are left disappointed, as Kante and Mahrez have been linked with a wealth of other top sides, as has striker Jamie Vardy, per Darren Lewis in the Mirror.

Elsewhere, there is better news for Arsenal in their reported pursuit of Roma defender Kostas Manolas.

According to Football Insider's Wayne Veysey, AS Roma are "open to offers" for the Greek centre-back, and they value him at around £30 million.

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Veysey added that Arsenal are "compiling a detailed dossier on the 24-year-old ahead of a possible summer bid," as they look to bolster their defence.

Laurent Koscielny is the only consistently reliable centre-back Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has to call upon, while Manolas has emerged as a top-quality defender at Roma since his move from Olympiakos for £10.3 million in 2014.

His aerial presence and distribution would make him a good fit in the Arsenal back four, and if he is set to be available for around £30 million, the Gunners would be wise to make a move for him.