Claudio Ranieri
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has said he expects Riyad Mahrez to stay with the club ahead of the Foxes’ Premier League title defence in 2016-17.
Mahrez, 25, was one of several star men for Ranieri, as the club defied all odds and logic to win the league. However, that success brought attention to the team’s top players, with N’Golo Kante leaving for Chelsea and Jamie Vardy being the target of a move by Arsenal.
Ranieri and Leicester received good news on Tuesday when captain Wes Morgan signed a new contract to stay with the team, and the Italian boss thinks Mahrez and others will follow suit.
“I am pleased to sign Wes and I think slowly, slowly the rest will sign,” Ranieri said in quotes appearing in the Daily Mail. “It’s not my job to sign them up. I am just the head coach and not the sporting director, but slowly, slowly, I know the other players will sign.
“It is important to maintain the group with the spirit and with the humility. That is important for me.
“Signing Vardy was huge and Mahrez will be the same. Not only Mahrez, everybody.
“The football would continue without Mahrez, without Kante, but Mahrez will stay with us for all the years. I am confident. No other players will go. We stay together.”
Ranieri wished Kante good luck, saying he was sympathetic to the France international’s desire to make the most of his breakout season in the Premier League by seeking new opportunities.
“Only Kante wanted to go and that’s OK,” Ranieri said. “He came from a little team in France and made a fantastic season. I wanted him to stay with us for another year. He would improve with the experience of the Champions League but he wanted to go. OK, good luck. I don’t want unhappy players.”
Asked after Leicester’s 2-1 friendly win over Oxford on Tuesday night if Mahrez had spoken to him about his future, Ranieri told Sky Sports News: “Yes, he wants to stay.
“I think everybody here is happy and then it’s finished, the market has finished.”
Leicester open the season with the Community Shield against Manchester United on Aug. 7 and then begin their title defence away to Hull City on Aug. 13.
-espnfc