Barcelona seriously considered signing Leicester City attacker Riyad Mahrez last summer, it has been revealed.

After winning the Premier League title and Player of the Year last season, Mahrez's agents made contact with Barca to sound out their interest. And they received a bite.

Don Balon says Barca were keen on Mahrez, but in the end dropped their pursuit.

The reason? It was Algeria's Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

Barca management saw no advantage to signing a player who would be missing over a month of the season.