Riyad Mahrez 'madness' continues as Leicester star goes AWOL for a fourth day and risks wrath of drug testers
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Riyad Mahrez is set to go AWOL from Leicester again on Friday.
The club do not know where he is, causing concern with officials who are required to inform FA drug testers of the player’s location.
It will be the fourth day running that Mahrez has been a no-show, and a teammate described the situation at the training ground as “madness”.
The Algerian faces a fine of two weeks’ wages - about £200,000 - and is said by a friend to be “depressed” after failing to secure his dream move to Manchester City on transfer deadline day.
The forward missed training ahead of Wednesday’s Premier League game against Everton game when he did not tell stunned officials of his movements.
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
It left Foxes staff , players and coach Claude Puel in the dark and affected plans for the game at Goodison, which they lost 2-1 without Mahrez.
Although his teammates are frustrated by Mahrez’s behaviour this week there is sympathy that he has his head turned by City, who tabled multiple unsuccessful bids in an effort to land the former player of the year.
The players are understood to be ready to welcome Mahrez back into the fold.
Mahrez’s disappearing act did not force Leicester’s wealthy Thai owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha into bowing to Manchester City.
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
Their final offer for in-form Mahrez was believed to be worth around £65m, but Leicester were insisting Mahrez was worth at least £80m .
Leicester believe their valuation of the Ballon d’Or nominee, who has a Premier League winners’ medal and two-and-a-half years left on his contract, was fair after Liverpool this month paid £75m for Virgil van Dijk and Barcelona £145m for Philippe Coutinho.
It is the second successive window Mahrez has pushed unsuccessfully for a move after leaving Algeria’s national team camp in the summer on deadline day.