Riyad Mahrez regrets not joining Arsenal in 2016 after Leicester blocked transfer – The Sun
MANCHESTER CITY attacker Riyad Mahrez has revealed his "frustration" at not being able to leave Leicester earlier and join a "top team" like Arsenal in 2016.
The Algerian won his second Premier League title last season, adding to his against-all-odds triumph with the Foxes back in the 2015/16 season.
But the 28-year-old feels that he wasted two years of his career fighting relegation, when he should have been at a big club challenging for honours.
Mahrez saw crucial team-mate Ngolo Kante depart for Chelsea, where he won another title in 2017 – with Danny Drinkwater following suit a year later.
Although star-striker Jamie Vardy stayed – Leicester were not the same force.
And Mahrez told France Football: "After the title, if I'd left for a top team, it wouldn't have been the same story.
"For me, it's clear that I lost two years at the highest level. I lost two years! Because instead of arriving at City at 27, I could have been there at 24, 25.
"Leicester blocked me. They told me: 'You're not leaving, you're not leaving'.
"My agent had spoken to (Arsene) Wenger who really wanted me. It was nearly all done with Arsenal in 2016. I was really frustrated.
"It wasn't easy to go from being the best player in the Premier League to being a part of a team fighting against relegation.
"It's not the same job. Everyone is waiting for you around the corner."
Since 2016 Arsenal have won one trophy, the FA Cup in 2017, and haven't played Champions League football at all for the last three seasons.
Mahrez meanwhile, reached the Champions League quarter-finals with Leicester, before joining Manchester City in 2018 and so far winning every domestic trophy that has been on offer since.
The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations winner has a brilliant record for Pep Guardiola's side, having scored 15 goals and assisted a further 20 in 58 appearances for the Citizens.
But he has been limited to just five starts in City's opening 12 league games this season.[pod_component pod_component_config_id="bWMArKDIZ"
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