One of the longer sagas of the transfer window, Riyad Mahrez to AS Roma was always a question of money, which the Serie A side couldn’t find down the back of the sofa.
That’s not to say they didn’t try, but, even with super director of football Monchi in charge of transfers, convincing Leicester City to let their star winger go for less than their demands proved impossible.
Still, AS Roma have done alright despite missing out on their top target, potentially just two points off leaders Napoli if they win their game in hand, yet who knows where they could be had they signed the Algeria international.
Speaking to Corriere dello Sport, the Italian side’s manager, Eusebio di Francesco, commented on the Mahrez situation when asked about it.
He said: “Yes, it was frustrating. He was our top target but we didn’t manage to get him. However, our disappointment didn’t last long, and we reorganised the squad with the players we have.”
Seeing a move to Roma disappear, the Leicester winger then tried to find himself a club elsewhere, but, once again, Leicester were reluctant to let him go on the cheap, which forced the 25-year-old to stay at the King Power Stadium.
Now managed by Claude Puel, we’ll have to see whether or not a repeat saga will take place in January, or if he’ll wait until next summer for that, using this season to help his stock on the transfer market.
