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Leicester's Riyad Mahrez has missed training and is reportedly on strike after missing out on a deadline day move to Manchester City, according to Sky Sports. Mahrez, 26, was frustrated with Leicester pricing him out of a move to the Etihad Stadium, as sources told ESPN FC that the club placed a £95 million valuation on him with City only willing to go as high as £65m. The Algeria winger, who is contracted until 2020, submitted a transfer request last summer and his desire to leave remained unchanged as reports claimed he submitted another request to leave on Tuesday, one day before the deadline. He also missed the 2-1 defeat to Everton on Wednesday evening. A fortnight ago City ended their interest in Alexis Sanchez due to the rising costs of signing the Chile forward from Arsenal, who subsequently joined Manchester United. That prompted City to turn their attention to Mahrez, in an ongoing search for another attacker that will now likely resume in the summer. But Mahrez was reportedly left devastated by the failure to move this month and a friend of the winger told Sky Sports News on Wednesday: "Riyad is very depressed this evening over the events of the last two days. He doesn't understand why Leicester have behaved in the way they have. "This is the fourth transfer window in which Leicester have said they will allow him to leave. He feels very strongly that he has done everything in his powers for the club.... "Joining Manchester City would have been a dream for him. Playing for Pep Guardiola is something he is still desperate to do. That seems a long way off right now. He's very down about how he's been treated by a club he has served so well." Earlier on Thursday, Leicester manager Claude Puel said he would help Mahrez come back "with a smile". "It was a difficult situation for Riyad," Puel told the BBC. "I hope he can come back with a smile and with desire and happy to play with his teammates. There is perhaps disappointment for Riyad but I think all the players, all the squad will help him to come back." Information from the Press Association was used in this report.
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