Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham could be beaten by Roma in the race for Leicester forward Riyad Mahrez

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Roma is beginning to look like Riyad Mahrez’s most likely destination with the Italian club prepared to make an offer to Leicester City.

The Serie A giants are looking for a replacement for Mohamed Salah this summer, after the Egyptian winger left to join Liverpool in a club-record deal.

Roma are remodelling their squad in the off-season under the guidance of new sporting director Monchi. The Spaniard, whose smart recruitment helped Sevilla to three back-to-back Europa League wins, has already signed nine new players this summer.

And Mahrez is being targeted as a tenth, with outline personal terms agreed but Roma aware that the 2015/16 Premier League champions are holding out for at least £40m.

Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton and Tottenham have all been linked to Mahrez, the Algerian wideman who was the star of that Premier League-winning team.

But it is Roma who are the most serious in their interest and prepared to bid. There is some hope from Italy that there might be agreement on a one-year loan, with a set fee, and then an option to buy in 2018.

Otherwise, their opening gambit is expected to be closer to £30m than £40m.

Leicester remain insistent that they will only sell on a permanent deal.