Riyad Mahrez is "our champion" at Leicester City,
says manager Claudio Ranieri, who claimed the
Foxes can offer him more time in the spotlight
than bigger clubs who are interested in signing
the playmaker.
The Algeria international was named PFA Player of
the Year while guiding Leicester to the Premier
League title, and has understandably drawn
interest from some of Europe's most prestigious
clubs.
But in an effort to keep him at the King Power
Stadium, Ranieri says he told Mahrez that it would
be in his best interest to stay as the main "light"
at Leicester rather than just one of many on a big
club.
In an exclusive interview with ESPN FC, Ranieri
said: "I think Mahrez for us is very important as
our light. If he goes in another big team, there are
so many lights, so many stars, why?
"Stay with us, it's much better, much better. He's
our champion. If he goes in another team, there
are so many champions.
"He knows me, I know him very well and I
understand when he plays so-so and I can permit
to stay on the pitch. When another manager, when
he plays so-so, there are so many other stars I
put him on the bench.
"It's important you give confidence. But if you put
him on the bench he gets down. I think, I hope
he can stay with us because it's important for us
and it's important for him."
Ranieri already managed to talk striker Jamie
Vardy into staying at Leicester despite a heavy
push from Arsenal, but he couldn't stop N'Golo
Kante from departing for Chelsea.
The manager said retaining Vardy early in the
transfer window was crucial for the the team
heading into next season, but he admitted that
his efforts to keep Kante at the club fell short.
Ranieri said: "First of all it was very, very
important at the beginning [that] Jamie wanted to
stay because he's -- not the star, because all are
the stars -- but it was important that our goal
scorer say 'No, I want to stay here. We started
our fairytale and we want to continue. This is a
dream and we continue together.' And that was
good.
"After, I could understand N'Golo Kante. Both him
and France came [to us with] all the worries,
speaking about N'Golo, of achieving [success] at
[Euro 2016 with the] national team.
"And then of course there was a big team as a
Chelsea wanted him, and I said, 'Look, if you stay
here with us one year more, you play Champions
League, you improve, experience everything, and
next season you can go to the big teams.'
"But these words weren't good [enough] and he
wanted to go, and I can wish him all the best."
Leicester captain Wes Morgan, also speaking to
ESPN FC in California on Monday, said he and the
others player always knew that teams like Arsenal
would try to swoop for the Foxes' stars.
"I'm sure it's expected, we won the league and the
bigger teams are going to try and poach our best
players," he said.
"You know, as a player, you can't really take
much notice to that. We just have to do what we
do best. Get on the training field, try and train and
keep focus on our job.
"Yeah, there is going to be speculation and it's
sad to see N'Golo Kante go, but we've got new
players in now and everyone is settled in well and
we're just training hard and looking forward to the
season."
Posted Africa News Sports
Chapisha Maoni