KEY POINTS

  • Claudio Ranieri insists the Algeria international is happy to stay at the Foxes.
  • Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel insists Ginter will not be allowed to leave.

Arsenal have been told to forget about signing Leicester City's Riyhad Mahrez and Borussia Dortmund defender Matthias Ginter. After failing to sign a single outfield player last summer, the Gunners have made just one addition to their first-team squad since the end of the 2015-16 season in Switzerland international Granit Xhaka.

The club have also brought in Japanese starlet Takuma Asano, but the 21-year-old is regarded as a signing for the future.

A slow summer transfer window suddenly looked like it was about to pick up pace on Saturday, 23 July, with Eurosport France reporting the Mahrez had agreed to leave Leicester and move to the Emirates Stadium.

Those reports emerged just days after Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri insisted the Algeria international is happy to remain at the King Power Stadium and following Saturday's International Champions Cup clash with Celtic – with Mahrez scoring the game's sumptuous opener – the Foxes boss insisted nothing has changed.

"It is good because you can continue to write, write, write," Ranieri told a press conference after the 1-1 draw with the Scottish champions at Celtic Park, a game his side went on to win 6-5 on penalties.

"It is good for you but not for us. Did you see Riyhad, how he is happy? He played well and worked so hard for the team and scored a good goal. Then he stays with us. Of course.

"For us, it is very important because he is one of our stars. He is our fantasy. With another team there are more stars and maybe he doesn't play at the same level. Maybe he goes on the bench. It is much better to stay here with me and another year is important for him."

Riyad Mahrez
Mahrez scored a sensational goal against Celtic as speculation over his future mounts. Getty

The Gunners have also been linked with a move for Germany international Ginter, with the Sun claiming Arsene Wenger is keen on bringing in defensive options who can play across the backline.

But Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel has swiftly dismissed suggestions the player sis for sale. "With Ginter, I think everything is said. German clubs wanted to sign him and now English clubs want to sign him," he said.

"I don't know if everything is true or if it's just rumours but we made our point clear – Matthias is our player and stays our player."