Ranieri: Mahrez is staying put

Cape Town - Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri is confident that reported Arsenal target Riyad Mahrez will remain at the club to aid their Premier League title defence.

Ranieri's three star players - Mahrez, Jamie Vardy and N'Golo Kante - have been heavily linked with departures to bigger-name clubs during the current transfer window.

However, only Kante has been allowed to leave the King Power Stadium after Chelsea activated the release clause in his Foxes contract, while Vardy rejected the Gunners' earlier advances.

Algerian winger Mahrez is the latest player whose future has been questioned, with reports claiming he's considering a move to the Emirates Stadium.

But Ranieri believes the 25-year-old remains committed to the East Midlands club and that he won't be following Kante out the exit door.

"I am used to speaking about these things. But it is important that my players believe in the new moment," the Italian said at a press conference ahead of his side's Community Shield clash against Manchester United on Sunday.

"It is normal others want Riyad and other players, but we must focus on the job. I speak with him a lot and I hope this will help him.

"The chairperson told me at the beginning, when we spoke, that we want to keep everybody. Kante had a clause and wanted to go, but the others stay with us."