Pep Guardiola refuses to be drawn on Riyad Mahrez

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has refused to comment on the club's alleged interest in Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez.

The 26-year-old announced his intention to leave the Foxes last summer but was unable to force through an exit as the club held firm over his valuation, reportedly turning down a £35m bid from Serie A side Roma.

Yesterday it was claimed that Mahrez had become a surprise last-minute target for City, however, with the Premier League leaders submitting a quickfire string of bids - the third of which was rumoured to be worth £55m.

Asked about the speculation at his pre-match press conference yesterday, Guardiola instead switched the discussion to his new arrival Aymeric Laporte, who had arrived on a club-record deal earlier in the day.

"Right now I say the same thing as I said in the case of Alexis Sanchez and Laporte that here is not the best place to talk about that," he told reporters.

"The move for Laporte has happened because it is a buyout clause that has to be paid. When you have to negotiate with other examples [of transfers] in the past it is always complicated."

Mahrez is said to have submitted a fresh transfer request at Leicester after news of City's interest emerged.