Given the way Manchester City are playing this season, any footballer would whether they want to admit it or not be keen to represent Pep Guardiolas side. As such, few could criticise Riyad Mahrez for skipping training on transfer deadline day when news of the Premier Blank Jersey League leaders interest filtered through.
One week on, though, and with no agreement having been reached between the champions-elect and Leicester City for the Algeria international, he has yet to resurface. The Foxes insist they have no idea when he will returnto the foldbut, with each day that pa ses without him showing up, Mahrezs profile in world football continues to diminish.
For much of the season, Mahrez has been praised for knuckling down and returning to the form that helped Leicester pull off their miraculous title win in 2016 despite having failed to secure a summer move. Roma were among those keen on the 26-year-old, while the player himself went AWOL for the first time as he spent the final hours of the summer window waiting for someone anyone to lodge a late bid.
His return of eight goals and eight a sists in 24 Premier League appearances this season is likely what attracted Guardiola to the wideman, particularly after the Catalan coach hadfailed to sign Alexis Sanchez and saw Leroy Sane pick up an ankle injury on the final weekend of the window.
The Adam Lind Jersey Germans fitne s was likely the reason why City accelerated their interest in Mahrez rather than waiting for the summer to bolster their forward line but, given the window was still open, it would benave for fans to blame the buying club for unsettling a player when the parameters for mid-season transfers are set as such.
It is now seven days since deadline day, a period in which Leicester have twice dropped points as they aim to potentially secure Europa League football.
Even if Mahrez returns ahead of Saturdays trip to the Etihad Stadium, he is unlikely to be selected for a match that would, in theory, have allowed him to show exactly why Guardiola and Paul O'Neill Jersey the City hierarchy should have been willing to part with more than the 65 million they reportedly offered.
Instead, Mahrez is sullying his legacy at Leicester, as well as doing damage to any future chances of making Derek Jeter Jersey the step up to a top-table European side.
Putting aside claims that Philippe Coutinho exaggerated a back injury while last summer's transfer window was open, the way in which the Brazilian applied himself in the opening months of the campaign undoubtedly helped him eventually earn his dream move to Barcelona last month, while Liverpool can be grateful his efforts ensured they received as much money as po sible in return.
Mahrez, though, has now positioned himself as a troublemaker whom the worlds biggest clubs will likely think twice about acquiring.
In breaching his contract so blatantly, he has done his personal brand real damage, and despite super-agent Kia Joorabchian having recently taken over as the Algerians representative, his actions suggest he is still being advised by the inexperienced Kamel Bengougam.
As a popular member of Gio Gonzalez Jersey the squad, Mahrez will likely be welcomed back with open arms by his team-mates when he eventually returns to work, despite some understandable disappointment at his actions.
Claude Puel has worked wonders with difficult characters such as Hatem Ben Arfa before, and the former Southampton bo s would likely pride himself on integrating yet another disgruntled speedster back into the fold.
"I expect nothing. The most important thing is not to think about one player, but to think about my team and my squad, Puel said after Saturdays draw with Swansea.
As is typical of his style, he is putting those available to him first, but there is no doubt that he Troy Tulowitzki Jersey will be a key figure in bringing Mahrez back from the brink when he finally comes to his senses.
How far away that moment is remains a mystery, but the longer Mahrezs sulking lasts the le s chance he has of eventually getting the move he obviously craves so much.
He has a right to be upset, and those such as Chris Sutton who have dubbed him a "big baby" are being rather one-eyed in their criticism.
What has happened has happened, however. Absolutely no one is winning from him continuing to stay away.