Arsenal to table formal offer for Youri Tielemans

Arsenal are set to submit a formal offer for Youri Tielemans and are confident of signing the Leicester City midfielder this summer, according to The Sun.

Mikel Arteta has been busy strengthening his squad ahead of Arsenal’s return to Europe next season. The Gunners boss has already snapped up goalkeeper Matt Turner, midfielder Fabio Vieira, winger Marquinhos and striker Gabriel Jesus.

However, Arsenal are still looking to bring in more new additions this summer and Tielemans has been strongly linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium in recent months.

The Belgian international is in the final year of his contract at Leicester and has made it clear he won’t be signing an extension so the Foxes are ready to cash-in rather than lose him for nothing in 12 months time.

CBS Sports’ Ben Jacobs claims that Tielemans is ‘sold’ on a move to Arsenal and has already agreed personal terms with the North London giants, so the midfielder is now just waiting for the two clubs to agree a fee.

Arsenal haven’t been in any rush to negotiate with Leicester while they focused on other targets, but that is about to change with The Sun claiming the Gunners are now ready to submit a formal offer.

The newspaper says Arsenal chiefs are confident of sealing a £30m deal for the 25-year-old midfielder despite rival interest from Manchester United and Newcastle United.

The Gunners have been linked with Sergej Malinkovic-Savic this week but Lazio want at least £50m for their star man while Wolves have slapped a £75m asking price on Ruben Neves [source: The Sun].

Therefore, Tielemans is a much cheaper alternative to the duo and he would be an excellent signing for Arsenal if they are able to get a proposed £30m deal over the line this summer.

His signing would take Arsenal’s summer spending past £100m so Arteta will need to balance the books with the likes of Bernd Leno, Nicolas Pepe, Hector Bellerin, Reiss Nelson and Lucas Torreira expected to be sold.