We don’t have a ready replacement for either Sterling or Sané. We have a ton of players who can play midfield type positions, and with the injuries, we have needed them. However, Bernardo isn’t a left sided player, because he doesn’t have the speed to get around the outside and plays on the right, because he likes to come inside.
Sanchez is a similar kind of player to Mahrez...great link up, chips in with his share of goals, but younger and hopefully less divisive than Sanchez would have been. Additionally, Leicester know Mahrez has been itching to get out to play for a top team whose talents mirror those of his own.
We are trying to build a younger squad and Mahrez fits that narrative. And, heretical as it may be, David Silva isn’t going to be here forever and Mahrez is the closest thing I have seen to the kind of work he does down the channels, including Bernardo, who has improved dramatically in the last few outings.
All of that said, I would take Fred over Mahrez at this point. And, yes, I know they are vastly different players.