Riyad Mahrez desperate to leave Leicester but Manchester City must increase offer

Riyad Mahrez is desperate to leave Leicester City but his future will come down to how much Manchester City are willing to pay for his services.

The Algerian handed in a transfer request at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday, his second in less than a year, but Leicester have little interest in sanctioning a sale before Wednesday night’s deadline.

City made enquiries regarding Mahrez's availability on the penultimate day of the January transfer window and opened negotiations at £50m, but it is understood that Mahrez will only be allowed to leave for a significantly higher sum.

The deal essentially rests on whether City are willing to meet Leicester's valuation of Mahrez, believed to be around £90m.

City acting on their long-standing interest in the Algerian coincides with Leroy Sané suffering ankle ligament damage in Sunday’s 2-0 FA Cup fourth round victory over Cardiff City.

Sané is expected to be sidelined for up to seven weeks with the injury, likely ruling him out of City’s forthcoming Champions League knock-out tie against Basel and the EFL Cup final with Arsenal at the end of next month.

Mahrez, who submitted his first Leicester transfer request last May, would be able to provide cover for Sané but it is understood that City's pursuit is unrelated to the winger's injury.

Even so, if City do not sign the former PFA Player of the Year, Pep Guardiola may have to to rely on Bernardo Silva, a £50m summer signing from Monaco.

Mahrez is unlikely to feature when Leicester travel to Goodison Park to play Everton on Wednesday night.