Chelsea close in on £45m deal for Premier League winger

Chelsea expect to complete a stunning £45m deal for Leicester winger Riyad Mahrez before the transfer window shuts at 11pm tonight, reports The Sun.

The Algeria national team announced on Thursday morning they had granted Mahrez special leave in order to secure a deadline day move away from Leicester.

Mahrez, who handed in a transfer request at the start of the summer, is now travelling from Paris to London in order to finalise a deal to the reigning Premier League champions.

The 26-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Roma earlier in the summer but the Italian giants failed to agree a fee with Leicester.

Mahrez isn’t the only Leicester player that could join Chelsea on Thursday with Antonio Conte’s side also determined to sign Danny Drinkwater.

Chelsea have reportedly tabled an improved £30m offer for the England international and hope to complete a double raid on the Foxes on deadline day.

Despite wanting to leave Leicester, Mahrez has still given everything on the pitch this season. In fact, only Henrikh Mkhitaryan (5) has registered more assists in the Premier League this season than Mahrez (2).

Furthermore, in the last three Premier League campaigns, only Mesut Ozil (39) and Kevin De Bruyne (33) have created more clear-cut chances than Mahrez (30).