Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez has told the club he wants to leave this summer and been in contact with Barcelona about a potential move.
That’s according to Spanish journalist Jose Alvarez, who says the Algerian’s agents spoke to Barcelona last week to gauge their interest.
Mahrez has been one of the stars of the show for Manchester City this season, playing a key role in their run to the Champions League final.
It is the first time he has really established himself at the Etihad since his arrival from Leicester City, but that has not stopped rumours about his future.
Several claims from England over the last few weeks have made it clear that he is on Manchester City’s list of sellable players this summer, with Pep Guardiola reportedly eyeing an overhaul of his title-winning squad.
That news came as a surprise to many by Alvarez has now backed it up and said work is going on behind the scenes to find Mahrez a new club.
“Last week in Barcelona, it was that of Manchester City playmaker Riyad Mahrez,” he told El Chiringuito.
“It was the agents themselves who put his name on the table. They communicated to Barcelona that the player wants to leave Manchester City and that City are willing to let him leave.
“That’s because Guardiola wants to sign Jack Grealish and Harry Kane, and that involves a lot of money.
“Thus, Mahrez would be on the table, and Barca said that they liked him a lot, but obviously the economic amount is high, and they would have to see how it can be done.
“Obviously, he is a player they would be interested in, and Mahrez would love to come to Barca.”
