Arsenal are reportedly ready to take the risk of waiting until the summer to sign Youri Tielemans on a free transfer.
According to football.london, Arsenal will wait until the summer to sign Youri Tielemans on a free transfer in the summer rather than in January. The Gunners risk losing the Belgian international in January if any foreign club comes in and agrees on a pre-contract with the 25-year-old playmaker.
Arsenal are in the market for various options in January as Mikel Arteta seeks to strengthen his squad. The Gunners are in the thick of a title race as the Premier League season is about to resume on Boxing Day, with the north Londoners taking on West Ham United.
In the background, Arsenal are working hard to execute their January plans with a winger and a midfielder deemed necessary targets. Mykhaylo Mudryk is their priority target, while Arteta also seeks a holding midfielder, with Palmeiras star Danilo reportedly on their wishlist.
There are reports about Arsenal seeking a replacement for the injured Gabriel Jesus, but concrete links to any definitive targets are yet to emerge. Arteta is reportedly open to an opportunistic signing, with the likes of Youri Tielemans mentioned as a possible target in January.
The 25-year-old playmaker was a target during the summer transfer window, but Edu Gaspar decided against the signing following Leicester City’s reported asking price of £32 million. Arsenal felt the money was too much for a player in the final year of his deal and were willing to wait until January to see the price drop or summer when he will become a free agent.
If interest in the 25-year-old playmaker had been heavy during the summer, Edu could have forced a move through. In January, Arsenal were reportedly willing to make a cut-price offer, but Leicester could be expected to stick with their asking price.
Arsenal could thus wait until summer to sign the 25-year-old playmaker on a free transfer. By doing so, they risk losing the player to overseas rivals, who could agree on a pre-contract with Tielemans in January.
The English FA rules prevent domestic clubs from entering into a pre-contract agreement in January, although they can do so in the final month of the player’s contract. Hence, Arsenal will hope no foreign clubs come into contact with Tielemans, who they believe is open to a move to north London.
Tielemans is unlikely to sign a new deal with Leicester despite their best efforts to convince him. He remains open to a new challenge and will likely join Arsenal, considering the widespread reporting about the two parties since the summer.
