Riyad Mahrez to miss third consecutive match for Leicester amid ongoing dispute, Claude Puel confirms

Mahrez has been absent from training since Leicester turned down City’s £65m offer for the player, and will now miss the side’s trip to Manchester City on Saturday

Riyad Mahrez has not played for Leicester since his rejected move to Manchester City (Getty)

Claude Puel has confirmed that Riyad Mahrez will miss a third successive game for Leicester City this weekend amid his ongoing dispute with the East Midlands club.

Mahrez has been absent from training since Leicester turned down City’s £65m offer for the player, and will now miss the side’s trip to Manchester City on Saturday having been unavailable for the Foxes’ recent clashes against Everton and Swansea.

Puel refused to confirm whether Mahrez’s absence had been authorised by the club but urged the player to make his return as soon as possible.

“I hope Riyad can get his head right and to come back with us and to hard work,” Puel said on Thursday. “The best way is to come and to enjoy his football.

“Riyad is a magnificent player and he loves football. He loves his relationship with his friends and team-mates. He needs to come back and to play, to touch the ball."

When asked if Mahrez had asked to skip Saturday’s showdown with Pep Guardiola’s league leaders, Puel replied: “I don’t want to comment and give details of our relationship with Riyad. It is important to all details remain inside the club and not in the public.

“I can understand all this speculation. I think it is important in this difficult time to keep all players, and club, united. Together, to look forward and continue the hard work on the pitch.”

With Leicester and Mahrez’s representatives set to hold discussions about the winger’s future, the Professional Footballers’ Association has offered to mediate discussions between the two parties.

Although the offer has been acknowledged by Leicester, neither the club nor Mahrez have yet to reach out to the players’ union for help.

Leicester, however, are hoping to resolve the issue internally and are prepared to give the Algeria international time to reintegrate back into the squad.

A 'close friend' of the 26-year-old has been quoted saying the winger was depressed after the move failed to materialise. Mahrez’s desire to leave Leicester is common knowledge, having handed in a transfer request – his second within the space of six months – at the end of January.