Arsenal are prioritising a move for Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans, reputed journalist Fabrizio Romano reports.
The Gunners ended the campaign on a disappointing note as they finished outside of the Premier League top four. They won’t be playing in the Champions League next term.
Despite this, Tielemans is open to joining them this summer, and Romano in his Caught Offside column reports that he is still the number one midfield target for the club.
Arsenal prefer to sign him over Ruben Neves and Arthur. It could be known by next week whether they will make a formal bid. Leicester value Tielemans between £30-34m.
Our view:
Tielemans was superb for the Foxes during the 2020/21 campaign as they finished fifth in the league. He also netted a stunning winning goal in the FA Cup final win over Chelsea.
However, the Belgian could not replicate his showing last term amid transfer speculation. He managed to hit double figures in goal contributions again, but it was a mixed season.
Tielemans averaged 2.3 tackles and 1.8 take-ons per league game, but conceded four penalties. He also made three errors which led to shots on goal from the opposition.
Despite this, the Gunners seem intent on landing his signature. A change of surroundings could help Tielemans refocus and revive the form from his early days at Leicester.
With just one year left on his contract, the Gunners may probably want to lower the price tag. It remains to be seen whether they can convince the Foxes to negotiate on the fee.
Tielemans’ versatility would be a big plus for Arsenal as he can comfortably play in the holding or central midfield positions. He is also capable of operating in the number 10 role.
Besides this, his creativity in the final third is another much-needed asset for Arsenal. The likes of Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey have barely registered goals and assists.
