Arsenals 1-1 friendly match against Lens was seemingly an innocuous occasion. Although the Gunners fans will have been understandably excited to see their team back in action again, this was not a match with any particular importance attached to it. However, ifas reports suggestit was the scene of transfer talks for Leicester Citys Riyad Mahrez, it could come to be regarded as a very significant day.Eurosport reported that Arsenal used the match in Lens to meet with Mahrezs agent, Kamel Bengougam. Whats more, they claim the player has agreed to move to the Emirates Stadium:Riyad Mahrez is likely to join Arsenal, according to our colleagues in France.Arsene Wenger wants the Algerian, who starred for Leicester in their title win last season, to bolster his forward line which already includes AlexisSanchez, Mesut Ozil, and Theo Walcott.The price is reportedly around the 50m mark and the move is set to happen imminently.That would be a huge coup for Arsenal. Mahrez was arguably the outstanding player in last seasons Premier League and was even named the PFA Player of the Year by his fellow professionals.Perhaps Arsene Wenger was intimating at a move on this scale when he told arsenal.com after the game:We are very active. If we find the right candidates then we will spend the big money. We have already spent big, Until now, nobody has spent more on a transfer than we have in this country. Even if [Paul] Pogba might fly from Italy to England today, I dont know Overall we have made a big investment already but we are active.Those comments were initially interpreted as an attempt to temper the disquiet among Arsenals disgruntled fanbase. However, perhaps Wenger was hinting at something more specific.It wouldnt be the first time Arsenal have tried to prise a player away from the Premier League champions this summer. Prior to Euro 2016, Wenger made an ill-fated bid to make Jamie Vardy his new centre-forward. Vardy ultimately chose to stay with Leicester, but perhaps Mahrez will not prove to be quite so loyal.Although Arsenal still need a new striker, they would benefit hugely from the arrival of an attacking midfielder like Mahrez. What Arsenal need more than anything is goals, and the Algerian is capable of providing that. Last season he scored 17 goals in 37 Premier League games. From a midfield position, thats an outstanding return. Hes creative, too, with 11 assists to his name in 2015/16.If Mahrez were to arrive, hed almost certainly take up the position on the right-hand side of Arsenals midfield. The Gunners tend to play with two deep-lying midfielders and three further ahead. Mahrez showed at Leicester that hes at his best on the right, when he is able to cut in on his preferred left foot.The truth is that no-one has been able to nail down that position as their own at Arsenal for some time now. The likes of Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Joel Campbell have all had spells there without ever quite making the position their own.Against Lens, there were auditions for the role from two candidates with varying degrees of success. Theo Walcott began the game on the right flank, which was interesting given that last season he was used almost exclusively as a centre-forward. After a restful summer, Walcott looked sharper than many of his team-mates. He will have been devastated to miss out on Englands Euro 2016 squad, but Wenger must hope he can channel that frustration into positive performances at club level.In the second half, it was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who played from the right. Wenger clearly has huge faith in the young Englishmanhe selected him for the home tie against Barcelona last seasonbut his 2015/16 campaign was marred by injury and inconsistency.However, his talent is not in question. Oxlade-Chamberlain showed off his excellent technical ability with an outrageous finish for Arsenals late equaliser. Having been played in on goal, he looked up before planting an expert chip over a stranded goalkeeper and into the top corner.Thats precisely the sort of thing Arsenal will be looking for Oxlade-Chamberlain to produce when the competitive season begins. All too often he flatters to deceive, failing to translate his ability into end product. It is his inability to be a regular provider and scorer of goals that is forcing Arsenal into a potential move for Mahrez.While the result of the Lens game is of little consequence, it was interesting to see the young players included in Wengers squad. Alex Iwobi looked impressively mature, suggesting he is ready to play a major part next season. However, there were also cameos for some less familiar names. Polish teenager Krystian Bieliks commanding performance suggests he may have a big future, while Chris Willock and Chuba Akpom showed flashes of speed and skill to excite the Arsenal faithful.However, this was not a particularly strong performance. Lens are two weeks ahead of Arsenal in their preseason preparations, and it showed. The Gunners came off second best in plenty of challenges as they felt their way back into a competitive mindset. However, they appeared to come through the match without any major injuries and got some crucial game time under their belt. That will have been Wengers main concern.He may also have had other things on his mind. If Arsenal do end up landing Mahrez, Wenger may come to remember this particular friendly very fondly indeed.JamesMcNicholasis Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and will be following the club from a London base throughout 2016/17. Follow him on Twitterhere.
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