Real Madrid Transfer News: Riyad Mahrez Warned, Latest James Rodriguez Rumours

Reported Real Madrid target Riyad Mahrez has been warned to not let interest from La Liga undermine his performances for Leicester City during the remainder of the season.

Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri has told the Algerian winger to take the interest as an incentive to be even better.

"If I was Riyad, I would say, 'There are a lot of teams who want me. OK, I have to show more if I want to go there. I have to show my best, because if I do my best maybe they will want to buy me,'" Ranieri said, Steve Madeley of the Daily Mirror.

While Ranieri also indicted he won't stand in Mahrez's way should he want to leave, he did encourage the player to consider Leicester's development as motivation to stay: “Of course, we will not be like Barcelona or Real Madrid, but Leicester will be a very good team.”

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Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo (h/t Bruce Archer of the Daily Express) has reported both Real and bitter rivals Barcelona are keen on 25-year-old Mahrez.

This is an interesting one for Madrid. Mahrez boasts the pace, trickery, flair and eye for goal to be a real asset in any attack. He's netted 14 goals and provided 10 assists in the Premier League this season, according to WhoScored.com.

His qualities would add a new dimension to a Madrid attack that has lacked fluency at times this season. Cristiano Ronaldo has remained in free-scoring form, but Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale have seen their seasons blighted by injuries.

It hasn't helped that supporting attackers Isco and James Rodriguez have struggled for consistency. Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane recently called on the former to improve key areas of his game, per Manu Sainz of Spanish publication AS: "If you look at his final pass, you'll see that it's an area that he needs to look at and he knows that himself."

As for James, he seems destined for pastures new, according to the latest rumours.

Madrid Ready to Sell James

The Colombian playmaker is reportedly set to be sold this summer, per Sky Sports' Guillem Balague (h/t Marc Williams of the Daily Star). Balague stated the decision on James' future will be influenced by the club's struggle to ditch Ronaldo.

"Cristiano cannot find a team to buy him, and Real Madrid cannot find a team to sell Ronaldo to. That means Real have to look for alternatives to finance the new signings they plan to make. So, as a consequence Real Madrid want to sell James."

James has struggled to put everything together since signing from Porto last season. The South American schemer has all the talent he'll ever need to thrive.

He's blessed with pace, perceptive movement and an eye for a defence-splitting pass. But those qualities don't show up often enough on the pitch.

He should be the chief source of supply for Ronaldo and Bale, but James increasingly looks like a frustratingly unfulfilled talent. If Los Blancos do call time on his career in the Spanish capital, Mahrez would make an excellent alternative.

But he must first answer Ranieri's challenge to produce performances that show he merits the interest from Europe's biggest clubs.