Arsenal could step up their chase of Youri Tielemans, with the 25-year-old Belgian playmaker keen on joining the north Londoners.
Ben Jacobs has told Give Me Sport that Youri Tielemans is keen on joining Arsenal and is unlikely to extend his deal with Leicester City. Mikel Arteta chased 25-year-old Belgian playmaker during the summer and could test the Foxes’ resolve with a January bid.
The January transfer window will be a testing period for Mikel Arteta and his quest to add quality to his squad. The Gunners are operating on thin numbers since the season began, with many pointing out that the lack of squad depth could make or break their season.
They endured problems in their quest to finish in the top four due to a need for more quality in certain areas. While Arsenal addressed some of the issues in the summer, they still need a squad capable of competing for the Premier League title.
Arsenal demolished Nottingham Forest on Sunday to reclaim the top spot. But there are questions about whether Arteta can sustain a challenge against the likes of Manchester City with such a squad. The Gunners are thus keen to bring in reinforcements in January. Links with midfielders and wide attackers are widely mentioned in media stories.
The Arsenal board is ready to back Arteta’s foray into the market. Edu Gaspar will look for financially viable deals and then decide alongside Arteta over certain players. And one of them could be Youri Tielemans, who reportedly wanted to join them in the summer.
Arsenal reportedly retain an interest in the Belgian playmaker after not making an official approach in the previous window. The reason might have been Leicester’s huge asking price for the 25-year-old, who continues to wind down his contract at the King Power Stadium.
Arsenal are also aware of the enormous interest Tielemans would attract next summer. Hence, they are ready to test Leicester’s resolve with a January bid. Journalist Ben Jacobs mentions the player remains keen on joining the Gunners and may shun other approaches.
Tielemans would prove a financially viable option. Arsenal’s pursuit of players like Sergej Milinkovic-Savic will be a costly affair. If they agree on a fee with Leicester, Arteta could use significant funds to sign a winger in the winter.
If the report is accurate about Tielemans’s willingness to join Arsenal over others, it makes the Gunners frontrunners in the chase. Things are calm now, but there is a strong possibility of a January bid for the 25-year-old Belgian playmaker.
