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The Daily Mail are reporting that Riyad Mahrez is threatening to quit Manchester City over his lack of playing opportunities under Pep Guardiola.
What’s the word, then?
According to the report, the Algerian international is making no secret of his displeasure at his lack of minutes around City’s training ground.
The 28-year-old has been limited to just 13 Premier League starts in his debut season and has struggled to get ahead of the vast quality around him in the attacking wide areas; but he is contracted at the Etihad Stadium until 2023.
Mahrez joined the Citizens from Leicester City for a club-record fee of £60 million at the start of the 2018/2019 season, first catching the eye at the King Power Stadium during the Premier League title-winning 2015/2016 campaign after a move from Le Harve in 2014.
Let him go, for Mahrez has been frozen out
Having been frozen out in recent weeks by Guardiola, the Cityzens should let Mahrez go in the summer transfer window, just a year on from his sensational transfer.
The Sky Blues are in a fortunate situation where, unlike other clubs, if there is any nonsense from any player in the ranks, they can afford to discard of them and find a replacement or maybe even an improvement on the star with ease.
And when it comes from someone who isn’t even particularly important to the club at the moment – it’s a real no-brainer for the decision-makers.
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The Algeria international has no right to complain about his lack of opportunities when he has failed to take chance after chance in his first season, just look at the highly-costly missed penalty at Anfield or his absent performance starting in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg.
As harsh as it may seem, six league goals and half that number of assists for the best part of a term in Manchester really isn’t going to be enough for you to be anywhere near the likes of the Raheem Sterlings, Leroy Sanes or Bernardo Silvas.
This is why Guardiola should cash in on this complaining bad egg before the harmony of the squad is at risk, and the positive all-important winning mentality of the side is affected.