Riyad Mahrez is a man without a club. Let that sink in for a moment. The Algerian, so often the difference maker in those tight Premier League encount...
Riyad Mahrez is a man without a club. Let that sink in for a moment. The Algerian, so often the difference maker in those tight Premier League encounters, is now free to negotiate his future, and the rumour mill has already started pointing towards Serie A. The question isn't whether he can still play. It is whether any of the Italian top dogs have the nerve to sign a winger who demands the ball, expects the system to bend for him, and possesses that rare, left footed magic that can unlock the tightest of low blocks.For a league that cherishes tactical rigidity and defensive organisation, Mahrez represents a calculated gamble. He is not a head down, pace merchant who will stretch the pitch for sixty minutes. What he offers is something far more subtle. He offers control in the final third. He offers clipped crosses from the right channel that drop onto a striker's laces, and a lethal ability to cut inside and curl one into the far corner. Think of a cross between a young Antonio Di Maria and a more languid, streetwise veteran. That is Mahrez.Which brings us to the potential destinations. AC Milan are crying out for a creative spark on the right. Their build up play can become predictable, easily choked by a well drilled mid block. Mahrez would give Stefano Pioli a different dimension, a man who can slow the tempo down to a crawl before suddenly accelerating past a full back. Roma, under Daniele De Rossi, might also fancy his experience. The Giallorossi have been guilty at times of relying too heavily on Dybala's drifting brilliance. A player who can hug the touchline and then drift inside would offer valuable tactical flexibility.There is a catch though. Mahrez will want guarantees. He will not join a project to sit on the bench and make cameos. At 33, he still has the ego of a star player, and that is not a criticism. It is a requirement for a footballer of his calibre. Any club that signs him must be prepared to build a pocket of the pitch just for him. Let him roam. Let him pick passes. Let him be the orchestrator.Serie A has a history of rejuvenating tricky wingers late in their careers. Think of the second wind enjoyed by players like Luca Toni or the rediscovered form of a certain Diego Milito. Mahrez could slot into that narrative beautifully. He is not the explosive, dribble happy winger who terrorised the Etihad. He is something potentially more dangerous. He is a footballing brain that knows exactly where the space will be. The question for the directors in Milan, Rome, and maybe even Naples is simple. Who has the stomach to take that gamble and integrate a pure artist into their well regimented system
