Arsenal To Table Improved £35m Mahrez Offer After Seeing £30m Bid Rejected

The summer transfer window is in full swing so we’ll bring you all the latest transfer rumours and gossip from around the globe. Today, Arsenal are set to table an improved offer for Riyad Mahrez…

Arsenal are set to table an improved £35m offer for Riyad Mahrez after seeing an opening £30m bid for the Chelsea target rejected by Leicester City, as reported by the Independent.

Mahrez’s future has been the subject of much debate over the past few months after the Algerian international played a starring role in helping Leicester secure a shock Premier League title win.

Arsenal have been strongly linked with the PFA Player of the Year with Eurosport FR reporting last month that Arsene Wenger had held talks with the players camp following Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Lens.

Chelsea have also been credited with an interest in the 25-year-old with photographs emerging over the weekend showing Mahrez at the same hotel as Blues boss Antonio Conte with an Italian journalist claiming that the attackers agent told him that Chelsea wanted to sign the player this summer.

However, it seems Arsenal are pressing ahead with a move for Mahrez as L’Equipe correspondent Gilles Favard has claimed on Twitter that Arsenal are set to table an improved £35m offer after seeing their initial £30m bid rejected by Leicester.

Mr Favard went on to say that Mahrez wants to join the Gunners and he expects a deal to be wrapped-up ‘soon’. The French journalist said on Twitter:

“Marhez – Arsenal has made an offer of 30 million pounds rejected by Leicester!

“Marhez wants to join the “Gunners”

“Arsenal just to make a bid of 35 million pounds! regarding Mahrez priority Wenger”

“Mahrez to join Arsenal soon”

Guardian journalist Ed Aarons also claims that the attackers agent held talks with Leicester’s director of football, John Rudkin, today amid reports that Arsenal are set to table a £35m offer.

Amid rumours of £35m Arsenal bid, told Riyad Mahrez's agent had meeting with Leicester's director of football John Rudkin today #lcfc #afc

— Ed Aarons (@ed_aarons) August 10, 2016

Arsene Wenger is under increasing pressure to strengthen his squad and while a centre-back and striker are also priorities for the Arsenal boss, fans would surely welcome the arrival of Mahrez if they were able to get a deal agreed.

We’ll have to wait and see how things develop but based on the current reports, it looks like Arsenal are seriously stepping-up their pursuit of Mahrez and a move to north London is becoming increasingly likely before the end of the summer.

READ MORE –> Arsenal transfer news | Chelsea transfer news

While an attacking midfielder isn’t necessarily an area the Gunners desperately need to strengthen, there is no doubt Mahrez would be an upgrade on the likes of Theo Walcott – who’s future could come under further doubt should the Algerian arrive at the Emirates.