Mahrez not for sale – Ranieri

Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri insists winger Riyad Mahrez will not be leaving the Premier League champions before the start of the season.

Algeria international Mahrez has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal, who also failed in a bid to land team-mate Jamie Vardy, but Ranieri says he has been given assurances he does not have to sell any more players following N’Golo Kante’s £32million switch to Chelsea.

He told reporters ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield clash with Manchester United at Wembley: “I am used to speaking about these things.

“But it is important that my players believe in the new moment. It is normal others want Riyad and other players, but we must focus on the job.

“I speak with him a lot and I hope this will help him.

“The chairman told me at the beginning, when we spoke, that we want to keep everybody. Kante had a clause and wanted to go, but the others stay with us.”

Mahrez, last season’s PFA Player of the Year, has three years left on his current contract and Ranieri laughed off suggestions the club should be trying to get him to sign a new, long-term deal.

“He has a contract for another three years,” Ranieri said. “Why does he have to sign? He has money and everything.”