Arsenal are ready to make an opening offer of £25 million to sign Youri Tielemans, as Mikel Arteta is keen on the Belgian midfielder.
According to the Telegraph, Arsenal are reportedly preparing to make an opening bid for Youri Tielemans worth £25 million. Mikel Arteta has settled on the Leicester City star as his preferred midfield target and wants the club to proceed with the offer.
Youri Tielemans was lauded as a brilliant capture when Leicester City signed him permanently from Monaco for a then club-record fee of £32 million. The midfielder has since grown into one of Premier League’s finest talents, earning the admiration of many big clubs.
For over a year, speculation has been rife over his long-term future as he entered the final two years of his deal. Leicester City began holding talks with the Belgian a year ago and somehow managed to keep hold of him during the last summer window, as he refused to entertain a new deal with the club.
They even came close to losing him in January when Arsenal were reportedly interested. Brendan Rodgers even conceded at that time, saying he may be helpless to stop the midfielder from leaving if the right offer came in. Tielemans has since continued to be linked with a switch to the Emirates, with the Gunners now expected to make their first move.
Arsenal have been linked with a new midfielder and are looking for someone with an attacking instinct to partner Thomas Partey. Tielemans is one of their targets for the position as Arteta seeks an upgrade to Granit Xhaka in the area. The Spaniard wants to implement a 4-3-3 from next season onwards and views the Belgian as a key part of his plans.
There were eyeballs from Liverpool for many months, although the Merseysiders decided against pursuing the midfielder, clearing the path for the Gunners. Despite reports emerging that Tielemans wanted to play in the Champions League, the player’s camp are seemingly open to the prospect of him featuring in the Europa League after Arsenal managed a fifth-place finish.
There is further competition from Newcastle United, although the idea of signing for the north Londoners is seemingly a bigger lure for the Belgian. Now, Arteta wants the club to begin proceedings to sign Tielemans and is pushing them to make a starting offer of £25 million. Leicester are keen to recoup close to what they paid for him years ago and seek at least £30 million.
Arsenal’s planned opening bid comes closer to the Foxes’ asking price, indicating that a deal could be closer to a conclusion.
