Tottenham should target Riyad Mahrez this summer
Riyad Mahrez would be a perfect addition for Tottenham
Tottenham would be wise to try to take advantage of Leicester City’s struggles this summer. A bold transfer move for Riyad Mahrez could be the perfect cure for Spurs’ underperforming attacking midfield.
The 25-year-old Algerian attacker was a huge reason for Leicester’s run to the Premier League title last season. This year, he hasn’t been nearly as effective for Claudio Ranieri. His recent performance was poor enough for Martin Keown to call him “lazy” on Match of the Day. Keown certainly isn’t the only one to slate Mahrez’s contributions (or lack thereof) this year.
In fairness to Mahrez, he’s hardly the only Foxes star to be suffering from a Premier League title hangover this season. While he certainly hasn’t played up to his potential, his Whoscored.com player rating average of 6.74 ranks him sixth in the squad. For the sake of comparison, Jamie Vardy’s performance ranks him 15th in Ranieri’s squad.
Some Spurs fans might question whether or not Mahrez is capable of recapturing his brilliant form. One need only look at how he’s played for the Foxes in Champions League competition this season. He’s played his best football on the world’s biggest stage. His Whoscored.com player rating average during Champions League competition jumps all the way up to 7.53.
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That sort of creativity would be perfect for Mauricio Pochettino’s squad. Spurs struggle mightily to break down opponents who park the bus. Adding a player like Mahrez who can change the match by beating defenders one v one could drastically change the way opponents are able to play against Tottenham.
Just imagine, for a moment, Harry Kane starting up front with Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Riyad Mahrez playing behind him as a midfield three. Suddenly, Son Heung-Min and Erik Lamela would become bench options for Pochettino. That lineup looks a lot like a group that could power Spurs towards a Premier League title of their own.
It’s even possible that Mahrez could be sold for a relatively modest fee this summer. If Leicester City suffer the unthinkable and are relegated, he’ll certainly go for a cut-rate fee. Even if they do manage to stay up, his status as the club’s pariah as of late may make him expendable. A bid of somewhere around £20 million could be enough to bring the Algerian to White Hart Lane.
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Leicester City fans aren’t happy with Riyad Mahrez at the moment, but Tottenham fans would be thrilled to see him make a summer move to Spurs. Daniel Levy and company should give strong consideration to bringing the talented winger to North London.