Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Riyad Mahrez and Wojciech Szczesny Rumours

Football pundit Danny Mills has urged Riyad Mahrez to leave Premier League champions Leicester City and sign for north London giants Arsenal.Former England international Mills told BBC Radio 5 Live the Algeria wizard should exit the King Power Stadium and team-mate Jamie Vardy should also have made the jump to the Emirates Stadium at the end of last season (h/tJames Waltersof the Daily Star).Mills said:"If I was Jamie Vardy I would have walked to the Emirates. Mahrez should do the same."Ilyes Ramdaniof Eurosport (h/t the Daily Star'sJoel Watson) reported Arsene Wenger was due to meet theplayer's agent, Kamel Bengougam, after the Gunners' 1-1 draw with Lens.However,Chris Wheatleyof Goal explainedBengougam didn't arrange to meet with the manager to sanction the 41.8 million deal but was instead at the game to watch another client on his books.Wheatley wrote: "Goal understands that the representative of the PFA Player of the Year attended the pre-season friendly at Stade Bollaert-Delelis to watch his client Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, 18, in action against Arsenal."Foxes bossClaudio Raineri has also rebuked the potential deal, telling Sky Sports (h/t Wheatley):"It's over, the market is over here, Mahrez wants to stay."The latest news will disappoint Gunners fans who are once again experiencing a painful summer in the transfer market.Arsenalchief executive IvanGazidishas warned fans the club cannot compete with thefinancialpowerhouses of thesport in an interview withAndrew Dasof theNew York Times.Gazidis said: "We can't afford to outgun competitors that have far more money. We have to be very careful, very selective."Sportswriter Conor Kelly expressed his opinion regarding Mahrez's potential switch and said he disagrees with the transfer in principle, per uMAXit Football:In other news, Gunners goalkeeperWojciech Szczesny is set to join Roma at the end of the season but will first return to Italian football to continue his career.La Gazzetta dello Sportreported the stopper is ready to return to Rome on loan after the two clubs agreed a 16 million (13 million) transfer fee to be triggered at the end of the season, making his move permanent.Szczesny started 34 games in Serie A for the capital city giants last term, according toWhoScored,com.The Poland international route to the No. 1 spot at Arsenal has been blocked by Petr Cech, and it is unlikely he would want to play understudy at 26.The 'keeper showed great promise in his early years, but his error-prone performances did not endear him to the Arsenal supporters, eventually leading to his loan spell in Italy.Mahrez was central to Leicester's title challenge last season, and he would not be lost in the Gunners' talented midfield.However, Wenger is desperate for defensive steel and power as he attempts to win silverware, and Mahrez might be considered the wrong player type for Arsenal to add this summer.
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