Pep Guardiola hints at end-of-season bid for Riyad Mahrez

Southampton's Ryan Bertrand (left) and Leicester City's Riyad Mahrez battle for the ball during the Premier League match at St Mary's Stadium, Southampton. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday December 13, 2017. See PA story SOCCER Southampton. Photo credit should read: Adam Davy/PA Wire. RESTRICTIONS: EDITORIAL USE ONLY No use with unauthorised audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications.

by Graeme Jackson

Thursday Feb 01, 2018. 14:00

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hinted that he will attempt to sign Algerian star Riyad Mahrez in the European summer.

This comes after City failed to land the Leicester City player before the close of the transfer window last night.

According to Sky Sports, Man City’s cash-plus-player offer for Mahrez was worth in the region of £65m, falling well below Leicester's valuation of around £95m for the deal.

Speaking to Sky Sports after Man City's 3-0 win over West Brom, Guardiola said: "He's a Leicester player. Everybody knows we were trying but we cannot afford, in this moment, this amount of what they are asking. I understand perfectly.

"We tried to do it in the summertime, we tried to do it now, but like summer, they locked the door and we can go to the summer and holidays.

"It was not possible. With [Aymeric] Laporte, yes, with the other one no. We are going to see what happens in the summer."