Riyad Mahrez is "our champion" at Leicester City, says manager Claudio Ranieri, who claimed the Foxes can offer him more time in the spotlight than bigger clubs who are interested in signing the playmaker.

The Algeria international was named PFA Player of the Year while guiding Leicester to the Premier League title, and has understandably drawn interest from some of Europe's most prestigious clubs.

But in an effort to keep him at the King Power Stadium, Ranieri says he told Mahrez that it would be in his best interest to stay as the main "light" at Leicester rather than just one of many on a big club.

In an exclusive interview with ESPN FC, Ranieri said: "I think Mahrez for us is very important as our light. If he goes in another big team, there are so many lights, so many stars, why?

"Stay with us, it's much better, much better. He's our champion. If he goes in another team, there are so many champions.

"He knows me, I know him very well and I understand when he plays so-so and I can permit to stay on the pitch. When another manager, when he plays so-so, there are so many other stars I put him on the bench.

"It's important you give confidence. But if you put him on the bench he gets down. I think, I hope he can stay with us because it's important for us and it's important for him."

Ranieri already managed to talk striker Jamie Vardy into staying at Leicester despite a heavy push from Arsenal, but he couldn't stop N'Golo Kante from departing for Chelsea.

The manager said retaining Vardy early in the transfer window was crucial for the the team heading into next season, but he admitted that his efforts to keep Kante at the club fell short.

Ranieri said: "First of all it was very, very important at the beginning [that] Jamie wanted to stay because he's -- not the star, because all are the stars -- but it was important that our goal scorer say 'No, I want to stay here. We started our fairytale and we want to continue. This is a dream and we continue together.' And that was good.

"After, I could understand N'Golo Kante. Both him and France came [to us with] all the worries, speaking about N'Golo, of achieving [success] at [Euro 2016 with the] national team.

"And then of course there was a big team as a Chelsea wanted him, and I said, 'Look, if you stay here with us one year more, you play Champions League, you improve, experience everything, and next season you can go to the big teams.'

"But these words weren't good [enough] and he wanted to go, and I can wish him all the best."

Leicester captain Wes Morgan, also speaking to ESPN FC in California on Monday, said he and the others player always knew that teams like Arsenal would try to swoop for the Foxes' stars.

"I'm sure it's expected, we won the league and the bigger teams are going to try and poach our best players," he said.

"You know, as a player, you can't really take much notice to that. We just have to do what we do best. Get on the training field, try and train and keep focus on our job.

"Yeah, there is going to be speculation and it's sad to see N'Golo Kante go, but we've got new players in now and everyone is settled in well and we're just training hard and looking forward to the season."