Riyad Mahrez claimed he lost two years at the top level after claiming Leicester City blocked him from clinching a transfer to Arsenal.
The five-time Premier League champion – four times with Manchester City – wrote himself into the history books when leading Leicester to an utterly remarkable title triumph in the 2015/16 campaign.
The Algerian’s 17 goals and 10 assists during the league season saw him claim both the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and PFA Fans’ Player of the Year awards.
Mahrez, 33, remained at the King Power Stadium for the 2016/17 season – unlike N’Golo Kante who clinched a £32million move to Chelsea – where he tasted Champions League football for the first time with Leicester reaching the quarter-finals before being knocked out by Atletico Madrid.
A change of scenery played on the mind of Mahrez who requested to leave the club at the end of the 2016/17 season, with a move to Arsenal – who take on Leicester City at home on Saturday – in the works.
Speaking in 2019, Mahrez alleged that a transfer to the Gunners was blocked by the Leicester hierarchy despite his agent already having talked to then-Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
“After the title, if I’d left for a top team, it wouldn’t have been the same story,” Mahrez told France Football. “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.”
Mahrez – who now plays for Al-Ahli – stayed one more year with Leicester who were in danger of facing relegation before winning seven of their last 13 league games.
“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,” the winger added. “It’s not the same job. Everyone is waiting for you around the corner.”
