Arsenal transfer rumours: Gunners make an improved bid of £35 million for Riyad Mahrez

Riyad Mahrez if signed by the gunners will be a marquee signing for them

Arsenal have been fairly inactive this summer transfer period as Granit Xhaka remains the only recognized high profile signing the club has done with just days remaining for the season to start with a clash against Liverpool on Sunday being the start to the 2016-17 season. The supporters are getting impatient as the team needs strengthening at many positions but still the club is looking at the number of targets at a time when the new additions should have been complete by now.

The latest news coming from French outlet, L'Equipe is that the Gunners are back with an improved £35 million bid for Leicester City's star, Riyad Mahrez who according to many sources doesn't have a release clause in his contract for the Foxes. Claudio Ranieri has reiterated that fact saying, “He stays with us. We want to keep all our players. Of course, Kante had a release clause and Chelsea paid it but Riyad does not have the clause and he will stay with us.”

Arsenal had earlier made a bid of £30 million to sign the Algerian but it was rejected by the champions. Looking into Ranieri's comments, Arsenal will have to spend more than £35 million if they want to sign one of last season's top players. Some reports last week suggested that the deal for Mahrez was off but this rumour by journalist Gilles Favard from L'Equipe has reignited Arsenal's hopes of signing last year's player of the year.

A centre-back and a striker are also very much needed after injuries to Gabriel and Per Mertesacker as the team is very thin on centre-backs ahead of Liverpool's visit. Jonny Evans and Shkodran Mustafi are said to be the prime targets as at least one defender is a must for Arsene Wenger this summer. Manchester City outcast Wilfried Bony's name has come up recently as there are not many strikers remaining to target in the coming days.

Riyad Mahrez can be a statement of intent from Arsenal and can be said as their reply to the big spending Manchester clubs this transfer window. 2-3 more new signings are needed in the coming two weeks for the Gunners if they want to challenge for the top spots in the 2016-17 season.