Liverpool and Tottenham monitoring Demarai Gray as Leicester winger demands clarity over future

Demarai Gray has demanded assurances from manager Craig Shakespeare over his role at Leicester City next season amid links with Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Riyad Mahrez's future at the King Power Stadium is uncertain having declared his intent to leave on a permanent basis and Gray wants his bit-part role upgraded.

The 21-year-old has made just 10 starts for the Foxes since arriving at the club from Birmingham City in January 2016. Gray has been used 32 times from the bench during that period and as a result has managed just two goals for the club, with his career and development threatening to stall.

Liverpool and Tottenham were impressed by Gray's performances in the summer's Under-21 European Championships where he scored twice as England reached the semi-finals. The Mirror understand the wide man does not have a release clause and Leicester could be vulnerable to a bid from one of the Premier League's big-hitters. The same publication claimed earlier this year that both sides were confident of completing a £12m move for Gray.

Gray wants guarantees over his role next season and beyond, particularly in light of Mahrez's demand to leave Leicester at the end of the campaign. The Algerian has provoked interest from Arsenal but the completion of the signing of Alexandre Lacazette and pursuit of Monaco's Thomas Lemar means their interest has cooled somewhat.

Arsene Wenger has confirmed his admiration in Mahrez, who was voted the PFA Players' Player of the Year as he guided Leicester to the title in the 2015-16 season. Speaking last month, the 26-year-old insisted he has already agreed his exit from Leicester but is awaiting a firm offer.

"The chairman and I agreed that I would stay another year at the club and that he would let me leave at the end of the season," said Mahrez. "I think it would be the right time for me to leave, I have experienced everything at this football club. I went from the Championship to the Premier League, I stayed up with the team the next season, we won the Premier League, I won the PFA Player of the Year award, I played the Champions League, so we did something quite exceptional."

Meanwhile, Liverpool and Tottenham have made contrasting starts to their summer business. The Reds have completed the signings of Dominic Solanke from Chelsea and Mo Salah from Roma, but Spurs are yet to venture into the market ahead of their first season away from White Hart Lane in 118 years.

Several former players including Dietmar Hamann have demanded Liverpool make further additions, with a deal for Naby Keita seemingly close. Tottenham continue to be linked with a move for Everton contract rebel Ross Barkley, while Ben Gibson of Middlesbrough and Swansea City's Alfie Mawson are also on their radar.