Manchester City take on West Brom at the Etihad this week – but who will start?

Manchester City ready to swoop for Leicester star Riyad Mahrez after Leroy Sane injury

NOT content with splashing £57million on a defender, Manchester City are looking to shell out again – this time on 2016 PFA Player of the Season Riyad Mahrez.

By Richard Tanner

PUBLISHED: 00:00, Wed, Jan 31, 2018 | UPDATED: 00:04, Wed, Jan 31, 2018

Riyad Mahrez's unbelievable skills and goals

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After learning of City’s interest, Mahrez immediately handed in a written transfer request to Leicester and did not travel with the Foxes for their game against Everton tonight (Wed).
Leicester insist the Algerian winger is not for sale and their Thai owners are under no pressure to sell. It is understood their valuation of Mahrez is about £90m after seeing Philippe Coutinho sold for £142m and Virgil van Dijk for £75m in the current transfer window. City have bid about £50m.
It is the second time Mahrez – who was voted the PFA Player of the Year in Leicester’s title-winning season of 2015-16 – has asked for a move.
Chelsea and Arsenal have been linked with him over the past 18 months but last summer only Roma made an official bid for him and their offers were rejected.
City’s sudden move followed just hours after they had smashed their club record transfer fee by signing defender Aymeric Laporte from Athletic Bilbao for £57m.
Leicester’s valuation of Mahrez means a deal is unlikely to go through before tonight’s 11pm deadline but City’s sudden interest underlines Guardiola’s concern that the loss of in-form left winger Sane – who damaged ankle ligaments in a reckless tackle by Cardiff’s Joe Bennett – could derail their hopes of trophies on four fronts.

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Riyad Mahrez is wanted by Man City

Manchester City team predicted to face West Brom

I have interest in a lot of good players

Man City coach Pep Guardiola

Guardiola refused to deny his interest in Mahrez but admitted negotiations were “complicated”.
“It’s so difficult,” said Guardiola. “The deal with Laporte happened because there was a buy-out clause but, when you have to negotiate [a price], it is always so complicated. I have interest in a lot of good players – there are many – the window is open until the 31st.”
With Gabriel Jesus not expected back for at least another fortnight as he recovers from medial knee ligaments, the Sane blow has left Guardiola short of attacking options.
“Sane is out for six or seven weeks,” he said. “Right now we have only three strikers, including Raheem Sterling, for the next month or month and a half. So we don’t have too much and we play every three days. We have to find solutions.”
Winger Sane will miss at least 11 games – including the Carabao Cup final, the FA Cup fifth and sixth rounds, both legs of the Champions last-16 tie against Basel and several key Premier League clashes, including fixtures with Arsenal and Chelsea.

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Aymeric Laporte signed for Man City this week

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Riyad Mahrez has handed in a transfer request

Guardiola’s signing of Laporte took his spending to an eye-watering £452m in only 19 months at City. And his total spend since becoming a manager in 2008 is closing in on the £1bn mark, after splashing £261m at Barcelona and £137m at Bayern Munich.
Guardiola tried to sign Laporte 18 months ago but the player decided he was not ready to make the move to English football. Now Laporte believes he is ready and is hoping to use the move to break into France’s World Cup squad.
Guardiola said: “He is 23, the perfect age, he is a left-footed centre-back and he has played since a young age in La Liga, so he has played on the biggest stages, including the Bernabeu and the Nou Camp. He is strong in the air, fast, he has quality with the pass so I’m delighted happy and grateful.
“It is always a little bit tough for young players when they come into the Premier League but he hasn’t come for three months, he comes for four or five years. He has the skills we need to help us.”

Laporte says the chance to work with Guardiola was a big pull. “I have always followed him [Pep], when he was with other clubs as well. I have always been fascinated by him, especially when I have had the chance to watch him. I have had some contact with him. We both have the same style of play, so that’s great.
“Obviously having Guardiola as a manager in your team changes lots of things. He is a very prestigious manager and we must take advantage of that to learn and to improve.“I’m coming to a big club to achieve great things and obviously, the World Cup is a big thing. We need to work hard until the end of the season, I need to put in great performances, keep growing and try to be able to be called up for Russia.”
City have also completed a £4m deal for England Under-21 midfielder Jack Harrison from sister club New York City. He has been loaned to Middlesbrough for the rest of the season.
But City could recoup some of their huge outlay with West Ham, Newcastle and Valencia all interested in signing central defender Eliaquim Mangala, who is now surplus to requirements following the arrival of Laporte.