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Riyad Mahrez 'threatens to quit Manchester City over lack of first-team football'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 23 April 2019

Riyad Mahrez 'threatens to quit Man City'

Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez is reportedly threatening to leave the club this summer due to a lack of starting opportunities in the first team.

Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez is reportedly considering leaving the club this summer due to a lack of first-team opportunities.

Mahrez only joined the champions in a club-record £60m deal from Leicester City last summer, but he has struggled to work his way into Pep Guardiola's starting plans so far this season.

The Algeria international has made 42 appearances across all competitions during his debut campaign at the club, but only 26 of those have come from the start and he has been an unused sub in the past three games.

The Daily Mail reports that Mahrez has made his displeasure at a lack of starts known and is prepared to push for a move away from the Etihad Stadium this summer unless his situation improves.

The 28-year-old is in competition for places with the likes of Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva, the latter two of whom have both been nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award.

Nonetheless, Mahrez is understood to feel that his technical ability warrants more than the 13 Premier League starts he has been handed.

Guardiola has since insisted that the winger is going nowhere, though, ruling out an exit for the foreseeable future.