Manchester City are reportedly ready to rival Real Madrid for the signing of Leicester City and Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans.
According to a report from Fichajes, Real Madrid will have to fight it out with Premier League champions Manchester City for the signing of Leicester City midfield mainstay Youri Tielemans.
The 24-year-old Belgian international has been with Leicester City since January 2019, when he arrived on loan from AS Monaco. The transfer was made permanent in the summer of that year, and the midfielder has blossomed into one of the best in his position in the Premier League over the past couple of years.
Tielemans, to date, has made 127 appearances for the Foxes, scoring and assisting 22 goals apiece. The former Anderlecht star helped Leicester win the FA Cup last season, scoring in the final against Manchester City and has been in good nick this term as well, having scored five times in just 12 Premier League games.
Tielemans development and rise in stature at the King Power Stadium has put him on the radars of several top clubs, including Real Madrid. The Merengues are in the market for new midfielders as Luka Modric will soon be turning 37 while Toni Kroos is set to become 32 years old next month. The pair are performing admirably this season but need to be phased out of the side sooner or later.
To that end, Carlo Ancelotti & co. have been linked with a host of midfield options in recent times, and Tielemans, too, has emerged as a potential target for the current La Liga leaders. However, they will now have to face competition for his signing from reigning champions of England, Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s side have plenty of quality in their midfield department with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden. However, the manager has been utilising Foden in the frontline regularly. At the same time, Gundogan and De Bruyne are not getting any younger and have had injury issues of late.
So, it would make sense for Manchester City to start laying down a succession plan for the future, which makes Tielemans a viable target considering his age and proven pedigree in the Premier League. Apart from these two teams, Juventus and Bayern Munich have also shown an interest in securing the services of the 47-time capped Belgian international in recent times.
Tielemans’ contract with Leicester runs out in 2023, which means he will be entering the final year of his deal in the summer. Whether Manchester City or Barcelona decide to take advantage of the situation or another team swoops in to sign him up remains to be seen.
