Mahrez would be a superb addition for Arsenal and could replace Alexis

Mahrez would be a superb addition for Arsenal and could replace Alexis

Arsenal face a stern test this summer to assemble a side capable of fighting for the Premier League title next season, a task which is being made increasingly difficult due to the speculation that Alexis Sanchez could leave the North London giants.

Alexis, like Mesut Ozil, has entered the final 12 months of his contract at the Emirates Stadium but, unlike his German counterpart, the Chilean superstar is not keen on extending his contract and is being heavily linked with a move to Bayern Munich.


Arsenal would face a difficult challenge to replace their influential player of the year but Arsene Wenger has spoken about his plans for the summer, hinting towards a swoop for Leicester City ace Riyad Mahrez- with the Algerian making his desire to leave the Foxes clear.

26-year-old Mahrez excelled during Leicester’s surprise Premier League victory under Claudio Ranieri but struggled to replicate his fine form during the Foxes’ title defence last season- although he did impress in Europe, where Leicester were the most successful of the British clubs in the Champions League.

Those performances on the continent show that Mahrez is still capable of putting in a fantastic display and it’s something that Wenger specifically spoke about during an exclusive interview with BeIN Sports last week.

“I think he had a huge impact at Leicester when they won the championship, like everybody else. It’s been a different season this year but it doesn’t take anything away from his qualities.”

Whilst Mahrez may not be a stand-out name like Alexis Sanchez, Sky Sports has identified statistics which show the Algerian ace has the potential to fill the void that the former Barcelona man would leave in Arsenal’s ranks.

Mahrez has 23 goals and 14 assists during the last two Premier League campaigns, putting him ahead of Mesut Ozil on goals scored and equal with Alexis for assists- although he is behind the pair when those two statistics are switched around.

You would assume that Mahrez would have more opportunities to be creative and a threat in front of goal in the Arsenal side though and 119 chances created and 209 dribbles show the African ace can be a thorn in the side for opposition defenders.

If Arsenal were to stick with the three-man defence that shone during the final month of the season, Mahrez would compete with Alexis and Ozil for a central spot behind the striker- but his arrival would likely pave the way for Alexis to move elsewhere.

In a four-man defence, Mahrez could slot-in on the right-side and that would allow Alexis and Ozil to play alongside him, should the pair stay, although it would raise question marks on the future’s of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott.

Continuing with a three-man defence is the most likely scenario for Arsenal and Mahrez would be the ideal replacement for Alexis, whilst his role in the side would continue to allow the likes of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Aaron Ramsey to shine.