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Riyad Mahrez will stay, say Leicester manager and vice-chairman

Riyad Mahrez scores to put Leicester five points clear
Image: Riyad Mahrez is staying, according to Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri

Leicester remain "very, very confident" of keeping Riyad Mahrez despite new doubt being cast on the winger's future.

The PFA Player of the Year's agent revealed on Thursday there are offers on the table from England and overseas if Mahrez decides to quit the champions this summer.

Kamel Bengougam even suggested the chances of Mahrez staying put are as little as "50-50", but Leicester vice-chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha later repeated his aim to keep all the club's top stars.

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And both the director known as 'Top' and manager Claudio Ranieri believe the Algerian will start next season at the King Power.

"It's 99 per cent he will stay," Ranieri said. "I'm very, very confident. I suggest to all my players, 'Stay one year more. Don't go. If you go to another team, you might not get on the pitch'."

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Claudio Ranieri was as relaxed as ever in his pre-match news conference

Srivaddhanaprabha said: "They are good boys. They are good lads. They understand. Even Mahrez, I talked to him and said, 'Are you concerned?'. He said, 'No, no, I want to stay'. This is what he wants. He wants to stay."

The vice-chairman also revealed Jamie Vardy told him on the day he signed for Leicester that he would go on to represent England.

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The striker fulfilled that aim this season and this week won the Football Writers' Footballer of the Year award.

Jamie Vardy of Leicester City celebrates as he scores their second goal
Image: Jamie Vardy fulfilled his aim of playing for England earlier this season

"I knew he could be a great player," said 'Top' of a player signed for £1m from Fleetwood in 2012. "He told me he would play for England that day.

"I said, 'Come on Vards'. He said, 'Yes you will see, I will try everything'. He said he would try everything to make the club successful."

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