Claudio Ranieri branded Arsenal target Riyad Mahrez as Leicester City’s only champion during an interview with ESPN, in a desperate attempt to keep the alleged wantaway midfielder at King Power Stadium next season.

The 25-year-old midfielder has been linked with an Emirates Stadium switch all summer. The rumours have picked up more momentum, with reports suggesting the Leicester head honchos met in Los Angeles to discuss the player’s future. In addition, English tabloid Metro validated the links as they pointed out his absence in Leicester’s team picture.

The Foxes manager, amidst the Arsenal and Chelsea links, appeared to tempt him into staying, through flattery. Labelling him as their light and champion, he conjectured that the PFA Player of the Year winner would not feel as loved as he feels at the East Midlands club.

"I think Mahrez for us is very important as our light,” said the 2016/16 Premier League Manager of the Season. “If he goes in another big team, there are so many lights, so many stars, why? Stay with us, it's much better, much better. He's our champion. If he goes in another team, there are so many champions.”

Ranieri underlined his desperation to retain the Algerian’s services when he promised that he would never bench the player even if his form dipped. He stressed on his intent to keep his confidence high and summed up the discussion stating either party would benefit if Mahrez snubbed interests from England’s elites.

"He knows me, I know him very well and I understand when he plays so-so and I can permit to stay on the pitch. When another manager, when he plays so-so, there are so many other stars I put him on the bench. It's important you give confidence. But if you put him on the bench he gets down. I think, I hope he can stay with us because it's important for us and it's important for him.”

Ranieri’s words do hold true, but given Arsenal’s lack of depth and quality on the right wing, Mahrez may as well walk into the Arsenal first team.

Mahrez is rumoured to be valued at £41m. With signing a striker being the top of the agenda for the Gunners this summer, whether Arsene Wenger would splash such ludicrous amounts on a winger despite the presence of the handful of right-wingers remains to be seen. However, players of Mahrez’s quality would not often be available on the transfer market, and the opportunist in Wenger should already be plotting a bid for him.