Arsenal may cease their pursuit of Youri Tielemans after agreeing to a move to sign Fabio Vieira from FC Porto.
Arsenal agreed on a deal for FC Porto attacking midfielder Fabio Vieira, which according to Sky Sports, could see them cool their interest in Leicester City playmaker Youri Tielemans. However, contrasting reports suggest the 25-year-old Belgian international is still considered a priority target for Mikel Arteta.
A state of frenzy has engulfed Arsenal for 24 hours, with the club’s fanbase overwhelmed by the news popping up in various publications and media outlets. The wave started with the Gunners’ surprise pursuit of FC Porto midfielder of Fabio Vieira and the swiftness with which the deal was closed down.
After Porto officially announced the agreement, the media suggested more imminent deals in the pipeline. Reports have claimed that Arsenal were swiftly closing in on signing Youri Tielemans and Gabriel Jesus, while there were reports of interest in Ajax defender Lisandro Martinez.
The Gunners are conducting negotiations for each player and could sign them all in the coming days. Jesus is considered the closest possibility, while the other signings may follow after the Brazilian arrives at Arsenal.
Been told Youri Tielemans is not considering to sign a contract extension with Leicester now – could be an option in September in case he doesn't leave, but not now. ?? #AFC
Arsenal are working on it since long time… but no official bid yet. Other clubs are also interested.
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 17, 2022
However, contrasting reports which popped out late on Friday have suggested the possibility of Arsenal ceasing their pursuit of Tielemans. The claim from a few media outlets, including Sky Sports, have stated that Vieira’s arrival could scupper a deal for the 25-year-old playmaker.
Additionally, reports claimed that Tielemans could be ready to sign a one-year extension with Leicester City, which may protect his current market value. However, multiple other sources, including Fabrizio Romano, have refuted the claim, insisting the midfielder remains firmly in Arsenal’s plans for the summer.
Arsenal view the Belgian international as an ideal midfield addition, with Mikel Arteta focusing on setting up a 4-3-3 formation next season. The Leicester City playmaker is pencilled in to occupy the left-hand side, currently controlled by Granit Xhaka. The Gunners are seemingly positive about signing Tielemans from their Premier League rivals in the coming days.
Vieira is considered for a similar position, although he could be a quality cover for Martin Odegaard due to the similarity in their playing styles. As things stand, Arsenal could continue pursuing Tielemans, even as conflicting reports state otherwise.
