5-Year Deal Agreed, Mahrez To Join Arsenal For €44m, Medical To Follow

Arsenal are obviously in the market for the signing of a wing forward this summer. We have already been linked with the signing of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who has since signed for Manchester United, Julian Draxler was also linked and recently so was Riyad Mahrez.

Arsene Wenger wanting another wing forward is quite understandable, especially as Theo Walcott hasn't covered himself in glory in the last few years. Wenger is one of the managers who likes having wingers that score goals. Unfortunately Walcott doesn't do that. Hence, the links to right wingers is not a surprise to me.

And if you believe Algerian media outlet Le Buteur, Riyad Mahrez is on the verge of signing for Arsenal ahead of Chelsea and Manchester United after agreeing personal terms with us. The paper is certain a deal will be done unless Mahrez fails a medical. They claim Arsenal are ready to pay Leicester City €44m, which is just €1m short of the Foxes' valuation of the player.

The paper also state Mahrez agreed a five-year contract with Arsenal some time ago and, although Leicester City have sent delegates to persuade the player to stay, he is not ready to reconsider his stance. Therefore, Mahrez will be joining Arsenal.

Another Algerian paper, Elheddaf, are also reporting the same. Papers in the player's home country should certainly be aware of what's going on with the player, right? I strongly believe there is something in these rumours.

This news tallies with what Euro Sport France reported last week, when they said the player has agreed he will sign for Arsenal this summer after Wenger meets with the player's agent. And if Le Buteur is right, the deal is now a step closer to completion. The paper reckons Arsenal will announce the signing of the PFA Player of the Year for last season within the next days, obviously before the 2016/2017 Premier League season starts.

Mahrez scored 17 goals and created 10 assists last season and was rightly voted as the PFA Player of the Year. He has been linked with a move to Chelsea and Manchester United, which will make our rivals' reactions even more interesting if we win the race for his signing.

It been a while we beat any of the big cash-rich clubs to the signing of any player, so doing that with Mahrez will be epic. His signing will make us one of the favourites for the title. Mahrez will be a sort of a game-changer signing for us.

His versatility means he can play on both the left and the right flank as well as in the number 10 role and should we sign someone like Ben Yedder, it means our front three can easily switch positions like Messi-Suarez-Neymar do for Barca. Sanchez can play upfront, and on both flanks, the same as Mahrez and the same as Yedder. Such an in-game switch of position will surely confuse opponents and will make us even more dangerous in attack. Not to forget the fact that Ozil, the creator in chief, will be in the middle orchestrating attacks.

Hopefully this news is true. And it could be, especially as Ranieri seems to be using negative/blackmail tactics to compel Mahrez to stay at Leicester City. There must be a reason why the Italian has been telling Mahrez he has a better chance of regular first-team football with Leicester than with any other club.