Chelsea have one last chance for transfer market heroics: Riyad Mahrez
By George Perry
Chelsea have a few hours remaining to augment their striker situation for the second-half of the season and, hopefully, years to come. Aside from holding on to Michy Batshuayi, they should also break the bank for a last-minute purchase of Riyad Mahrez.
Manchester City have officially crossed the line from “buying club” to “hoarders.” Pep Guardiola deserves to be on a reality show as much as the bloke who has a herd of beagles living in his two-bedroom flat. Not content with setting a club record for Aymeric Laporte, City apparently made three offers in 24 hours for Riyad Mahrez. By the time the final offer of £55 million reached the King Power stadium, Mahrez was submitting his transfer request.
Chelsea should do what they failed to do (assuming they even really tried) with Alexis Sanchez and block City from acquiring Mahrez. More than Sanchez, Riyad Mahrez would be Eden Hazard’s mirror image on the right. Mahrez’s dribbling skills, rapid changes of pace and ability to turn any defender three ways at once would give Chelsea a scarcely defendable dual threat.
The Belgian-Algerian duo would open up countless new lines of attack, and would reduce the Blues’ dependence on Hazard for skillful chance creation. They would pierce the high defensive lines Chelsea’s opponents have used effectively in recent months, either through individual runs or quick one-two’s. This would open new crossing lanes deep in the penalty area for Alvaro Morata. They could even facilitate Michy Batshuayi’s role.* The two wingers would create numerous loose balls in the box for Batshuayi to poach.
And Mahrez is 26 years old: one year younger than Hazard, and several years younger than Pedro, Willian or Sanchez. He is an investment, not a stopgap.
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Mahrez’s role at Chelsea would be similar to what he has at Leicester. But at Stamford Bridge he would finally have the profile to complement his abilities.
Manchester City are currently at a transfer deficit of £193 million. It’s barely worth making a joke about Financial Fair Play. As McBain would say, that’s the joke. Meanwhile, Chelsea are only £33 million in the red.
Manchester City barely have room on their bench for Mahrez, let alone their starting XI. Even so, Pep Guardiola will find ways to use him to maximum effect at Chelsea’s expense. By buying him – or at least snarling the deal for the rest of the day so nothing comes of it – Chelsea will have the double benefit of not letting their strongest opponent get stronger. Riyad Mahrez at Leicester City is a much less threatening prospect than Riyad Mahrez at Manchester City.
Chelsea should very publicly announce a £60 million bid for Riyad Mahrez early Wednesday morning. If Manchester City respond with another boost, the Blues should rise to meet that, too. For the more thrifty type, the worst case scenario is Chelsea pay out another club record for one of the craftiest wingers in England.
At a minimum, the bid would arrest City’s romp through the transfer market. The Blues would only need to park the transfer bus for a few hours and Mahrez stays a Fox. They can deny Pep Guardiola another player who will wreak havoc on Chelsea’s ambitions for years to come.
Whether the Blues end the day writing a check or not, that is worth the cost of doing business.
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* Assuming Chelsea, those masters of transfer machinations, retain Batshuayi to scuttle Arsenal’s purchase of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.