Arsenal Transfer News: Riyad Mahrez Enquiry, Latest Jese Rodriguez Rumours

Arsenal have reportedly enquired to Leicester City about the prospect of a January move for their impressive winger Riyad Mahrez.

According to Jack Wilson of the Daily Star, the Gunners have joined Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in expressing their interest in the Algerian sensation, who has dazzled for the Foxes so far this season. Wilson writes Mahrez’s value is around the £25 million mark but concedes “the move is set to end in failure.”

It’s been a remarkable season for Mahrez, who has arguably been the standout player in English football in 2015-16. BreatheSport put his impressive numbers into context when compared with last season’s PFA Player of the Year, Eden Hazard:

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Hazard 2014/15: 38 Games 14 Goals 9 Assists (Wins POTY) Mahrez 2015/16: 16 Games 13 Goals 7 Assists pic.twitter.com/l3BiFwPkDg

— BreatheSport (@BreatheSport) December 23, 2015"

The numbers only tell half the story when it comes to Mahrez, though. He’s a player who has operated on the right, left and through the middle this season; wherever deployed, Mahrez has had a hugely positive influence on Leicester’s attacking forays, which have been sensational to watch at times.

It’d be no surprise if Arsenal were interested. The winger has technical quality, sharp cerebral instincts and this season has added an end product to his game, too. Indeed, the prospect of Mahrez joining Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez in a trio of attacking midfield players behind the striker is a tantalising one.

Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images

But Leicester, despite suffering a loss to Liverpool last time out, seem on the verge of something special this season. Indeed, the Foxes top the Premier League table at the moment; Miguel Delaney of ESPN FC thinks that it’s apt Arsene Wenger’s team is not capitalising in a wide open division this season:

Mahrez will be keen to see this extraordinary campaign through with the Foxes, and as Wilson notes, the club are adamant he will not be sold in January. Should Leicester look to cash in come the end of the season, given his attributes, it’d be very surprising if the Gunners were not one of the teams leading the chase for the winger.

Arsenal Want Jese Rodriguez

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According to Calciomercato (h/t Will Giles of Metro), Wenger will push the Arsenal board to spend big money in order to lure Real Madrid’s Jese Rodriguez to the Emirates Stadium.

Giles writes that it’s claimed the 22-year-old is pushing for a move away from Madrid due to a lack of playing time under manager Rafael Benitez, and Wenger wants to secure a £29.5 million transfer for the forward.

Here’s a glimpse at the potential Rodriguez has despite struggling for chances at the Santiago Bernabeu:

With Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and James Rodriguez all in situ, it may come as no great surprise Jese Rodriguez has only started four games in La Liga this season. However, his opportunities have become even more scarce in recent weeks, having got out on to the pitch for a meagre 39 minutes this month in league and Champions League matches.

As noted by ESPN FC’s Dermot Corrigan recently, it seems as though the winger is way down the pecking order at the moment:

Jese Rodriguez could certainly do with a move. Having suffered badly with injuries last season, he’s missed out on some crucial development time and subsequently, the exciting potential he showcased when first bursting onto the scene is seeping away. A lack of opportunities seem to be expediting this unfortunate process.

Even so, it’d be a huge surprise to see Arsenal part with such a substantial amount of money in the January window. The Gunners certainly need new faces through the door, with the centre of midfield and the point of the attack both short in depth.

Only once Wenger has those two problem positions sorted should he consider spending big on a player like Jese Rodriguez.