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Riyad Mahrez handed permission by Algeria to leave training camp to seal transfer from Leicester

The Algerian has been linked with a move to both Arsenal and Manchester United

Samuel Lovett
Thursday 31 August 2017 07:16 BST
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Riyad Mahrez in action for Leicester last season
Riyad Mahrez in action for Leicester last season (Getty)

Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez has been granted permission by Algeria to leave the national team’s camp ahead of an expected transfer from the club.

The Algerian Football Federation announced that the winger would be returning to Europe to "formalise his transfer to his new club".

Mahrez, who handed in a transfer request earlier this summer, has been linked with a move to Arsenal and Monaco in recent weeks, though Manchester United have reportedly registered a late interest in the player as Jose Mourinho bids to make his fourth and final signing of the transfer window.

The 26-year-old has already been subject to a number of bids this summer from Roma, of which Leicester rejected.

Despite publicising his desire to leave the club, Mahrez has acquitted himself with professionalism at the start of the new season, having impressed in the 2-0 win over Brighton as well as the Foxes’ following defeat by United.

With the international break underway, the former PFA Player of the Year flew out to join his Algerian teammates earlier this week, but the FAF has since given him the green light to resolve his club future before the transfer deadline.

A statement on www.faf.dz read: "Leicester City's Algerian international Riyad Mahrez, who is currently with the national team in Sidi Moussa to prepare for the double confrontation against Zambia for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, was authorised by the national coach Lucas Alcaraz and the Algerian Football Federation to make an express trip to Europe to formalise on Thursday his transfer to his new club.

"The national team will fly without him on Thursday morning to Lusaka to face Zambia on Saturday."

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