Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez has reportedly been shortlisted as a replacement for Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho amid the Brazilian’s possible transfer to Barcelona.

Riyad Mahrez

Speculation surrounding Mahrez’s City future has been rife this January transfer window and Liverpool are the latest club to be linked to the Algerian as they pick out possible Coutinho alternatives.

Like City with Mahrez, Liverpool managed to hold on to Coutinho in the summer but Barcelona are expected to return with an improved offer this month to lure the playmaker away from Merseyside.

Despite Claude Puel speaking of Mahrez’s happiness at City, the 26-year-old remains odds-on to leave the club this month, although Liverpool have now overtaken Arsenal and Chelsea as his most-likely destination.

Mahrez has been valued at £50m, some way short of the £133m Barcelona are reportedly willing to pay for Coutinho. Since the start of the 2015-16 Premier League season, Mahrez has scored 30 goals and assisted 21.