Leicester blocked my Arsenal transfer - I lost two years playing at the highest level

Riyad Mahrez was instrumental in Leicester City's stunning Premier League title triumph in the 2015/16 campaign and was desperate to leave the King Power Stadium after

Riyad Mahrez claimed Leicester City prevented him from joining Arsenal - which he feels cost him two years at the pinnacle of football.

The Algerian winger, who was pivotal in Leicester's fairy-tale Premier League win in 2015/16, felt ready to make the leap to a top club after their historic campaign.

Mahrez racked up an impressive tally of 17 goals and 10 assists that season that earned him the PFA Players' Player of the Year and PFA Fans' Player of the Year awards.

He ended up staying with Leicester for another season, experiencing Champions League football for the first time in his career as they reached the quarter-finals.

However, the desire for a new challenge was strong, and Mahrez revealed that he wanted to leave at the end of the 2016/17 season, with Arsenal interested in securing his services, reports the Mirror.

In a 2019 interview with France Football, Mahrez claimed that talks with then-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had taken place, but Leicester's decision-makers blocked the move. "After the title, if I'd left for a top team, it wouldn't have been the same story," he said.

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"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." Mahrez, now 33 and a five-time Premier League champion, four of those with Manchester City, reflects on what might have been as Arsenal prepare to face Leicester City this weekend.

Opening up about his foiled move to the Gunners, he revealed: "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."

Following his thwarted move to the Gunners, Mahrez spent an additional season at Leicester, which included an intense battle against relegation before their eventual turnaround winning seven of their final 13 league matches.

The winger reflected on the challenge of that period: "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," he said. "It's not the same job. Everyone is waiting for you around the corner."

Mahrez's persistence paid off when he secured a high-profile switch to Manchester City in 2018 for £60m, setting the record for an African player transfer fee at the time. He added multiple trophies to his cabinet while at City, including four Premier League titles and even the coveted Champions League title before transferring to Al-Ahli last year.

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