Leicester boss Craig Shakespeare warns Chelsea off Danny Drinkwater: 'We don't want to be a selling club'
- Chelsea are considering a move for Leicester midfielder Danny Drinkwater
- Leicester boss Craig Shakespeare said 'We don't want to sell our best players'
- Chelsea are willing to offer Leicester £30million for the England international
- Shakespeare said Riyad Mahrez will stay until they receive a 'reasonable bid'
Craig Shakespeare has told Chelsea any pursuit of Danny Drinkwater will prove futile as Leicester are not prepared to sell their best players.
Antonio Conte is interested in signing Drinkwater to provide midfield competition after losing Nemanja Matic.
Discussions between the clubs are understood to have taken place with Chelsea willing to offer around £30million but Shakespeare expects the 27-year-old to stay.
Chelsea are willing to offer £30million to Leicester for midfielder Danny Drinkwater (centre)
‘We don’t want to be a selling club, we want to add to it,’ said Shakespeare when asked about Drinkwater. ‘We don’t want to sell our best players. The speculation is always going to be out there at this time of year.
‘You know when you have good players there might be an interest in them. You have to deal with reality but also keep a calmness about you as well.’
Riyad Mahrez, who has stated his desire to leave, is another Leicester player attracting interest, with Roma unsuccessful in a £32m bid and Arsene Wenger a fan.
Craig Shakespeare said Riyad Mahrez will stay unless Leicester receive a 'reasonable bid'
Shakespeare said the Algerian has trained well and would be considered for Friday night’s Premier League curtain raiser at Arsenal.
‘I can only speak on how I’ve found him coming back, he has been focussed and driven,’ said Shakespeare. ‘He hasn’t given me one problem where I’ve had to pull him to the side and say, “Oi, pull your finger out.” Until we get a bid that is reasonable for Leicester, he will stay.’
Drinkwater is out of the encounter with a thigh injury, while Shakespeare also revealed Vicente Iborra had suffered a groin problem, in a blow to preparations. Iborra is likely to be out for up to two weeks.
Kelechi Iheanacho is back to fitness ahead of Leicester's Friday night match against Arsenal
Robert Huth has made quicker progress than expected after surgery on a damaged ankle and is back in training. He will appear for the Under-23s on Monday to pick up match sharpness.
Kelechi Iheanacho is fit after coming off against Borussia Monchengladbach last Friday with a foot problem. Harry Maguire is expected to make his debut and Shakespeare said he was happy at the club’s transfer business.
‘I am really pleased with what we’ve got and the manner we did it,’ said Shakespeare. ‘Although with Iheanacho you could have watched the whole box set of Game of Thrones, it felt like a saga. All the new players have impressed with their character as well as abilities.’
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