Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Riyad Mahrez, Yaya Toure Rumours

Former Barcelona star Xavi has expressed his delight at Riyad Mahrez's decision to turn down a move to Arsenal in favour of a stay with Leicester City, while the agent of Yaya Toure said both the Gunners and Manchester United expressed an interest in the Manchester City midfielder.

As reported by ShortList (h/t Daily Express' David Wright), Xavi showered Mahrez with praise, saying the Premier League Player of the Year would hold his own with Barcelona. But he reserved the biggest praise for the Algerian's decision not to leave Leicester after their title-winning season:

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Mahrez is good enough to play for Barcelona, but I am pleased he decided to stay with Leicester.

He clearly must have had options, but if Leicester had lost their best player after such a big achievement it would have been a shame.

It will be interesting to see how him and Leicester perform in Europe this season.

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Per the report, Mahrez was linked with the Gunners throughout the summer but ended up signing a new deal with the Foxes. He's expected to play a major role in their first-ever UEFA Champions League campaign, one year after scoring 17 goals and adding 10 assists on the way to the Premier League title.

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Arsenal filled their need for attacking reinforcements by signing Lucas Perez toward the end of the summer transfer window, and big things are expected of the Spaniard. With the Gunners no longer lurking, Mahrez isn't expected to leave the King Power Stadium anytime soon.

There's little doubt the 25-year-old would fit in nicely at the Camp Nou, as he has the quick feet and technical abilities required to play for Barcelona. Per WhoScored.com, his dribbling skills are almost unmatched in the Premier League:

But he's unlikely to give up his starting spot at Leicester anytime soon if it means a spot on the bench in Catalonia, where Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez are the obvious starters when all three are healthy.

Meanwhile, Toure's agent, Dimitri Seluk, has made some bold claims, telling Sky Sports News HQ both Arsenal and Manchester United, as well as a host of foreign clubs, have expressed an interest in the veteran midfielder:

Seluk emphasised moves to the Emirates Stadium or Old Trafford would be impossible, but Toure is set to sign a pre-contract with a new club in January and will leave the Etihad Stadium, per Colin Harvey of the Daily Star.

The 33-year-old was left out of City's Champions League squad and has barely seen the pitch this season, and a split seems likely. It would mark the second time in his career manager Pep Guardiola ships him off elsewhere, as he previously sold him when the two worked together at Barcelona.

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Toure has become something of a club legend since 2010, playing a key role in the two Premier League titles the Citizens have won since then. But change was always expected when Guardiola arrived, and so far, the Spaniard hasn't spared any of the veterans―longtime goalkeeper Joe Hart is currently plying his trade in Italy with Torino.

Seluk has always been a particularly vocal agent who isn't afraid to make bold statements, and Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol shared this odd comment on Sunday:

A move to Serie A, where the pace of the game tends to be slightly slower, could be the perfect solution for Toure. The Ivorian is still an excellent footballer when he's allowed to use his physicality and advance deep into the enemy half, and in all likelihood, several clubs will be open to handing him a lucrative deal in January.