Arsenal could cool their long-standing interest in Youri Tielemans, as Mikel Arteta’s preferences have changed during the season.
According to Give Me Sport, Arsenal may not table an offer for Youri Tielemans in the summer. The Leicester City midfielder will move as a free agent. But the Gunners have other priorities. Hence, they could cease their pursuit of the 25-year-old, a target for Barcelona and Tottenham, and move towards other targets.
Arsenal seriously considered signing Youri Tielemans last summer, with the midfielder seemingly open to the move. Mikel Arteta wanted a new midfielder to shore up his options following the struggle of the previous campaign, where they failed to finish fourth amid the injury to Thomas Partey.
Arteta did not want to repeat the error and wanted a quality addition to challenging the top order of Partey and Granit Xhaka. As the season has progressed, Arsenal have changed their way of playing, and there may not be a place for Tielemans in this system.
The Gunners wanted him last summer but were against paying a huge fee for a player potentially available on a free transfer in 12 months. Despite rumours, Tielemans could sign a new extension with Leicester, the player, currently on a £120,000-a-week deal, will depart when his deal expires in the summer.
Arsenal were expected to make a move in January but instead signed Jorginho on deadline day. That latest move has many pondering whether Tielemans could become a part of their system in the summer, as he is a financially viable option.
Many clubs, including Barcelona and Tottenham, are chasing Tielemans ahead of the summer. The Catalans, in particular, are keen considering the financial troubles that could prevent them from spending money on transfers.
Barcelona may try to sign him, and so could Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool in the summer. While Tielemans was open to the idea of joining Arsenal, Arteta could switch his attention towards a different style of a midfielder. Declan Rice remains their primary target in the next window.
While Rice could cost a huge sum, it may appear that Arsenal and Arteta focus on players that suit their system rather than its financial aspects. Hence, they may not table an offer for Tielemans in the summer, thus opening the doors for other sides to swoop in for the £120,000-a-week Barcelona, Tottenham target.
