Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad are keen to explore a move for unhappy Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans in January.
According to Fichajes, Youri Tielemans emerges on the radars of La Liga duo Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad. The 26-year-old playmaker remains unhappy at Aston Villa and could seek an exit out of the club.
From the highs of winning the FA Cup with Leicester City, scoring the winning goal, Youri Tielemans has come a long way and suffered relegation with the Foxes last season. In a rather surprise move, the Belgian joined Aston Villa despite expressing his desire to play in the Champions League.
That’s also why he let his contract at Leicester City run down to have more options as a free agent. With a promising project brewing over at Aston Villa, the move made plenty of sense for the 26-year-old playmaker, but his situation has worsened so far.
Unai Emery has preferred to play Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara as his starting midfielders. John McGiinn has occupied an advanced role in the setup, which has left Tielemans as their primary option off the bench.
During the last international break, Tielemans expressed his unhappiness at playing fewer games as a starter but hoped the situation would change. Things have remained the same, as Emery continues to use him on the bench in all of Aston Villa’s Premier League games.
As things stand, Tielemans could leave Aston Villa in January if his situation does not change. A host of clubs could queue up for his signature, but the Birmingham-based club could ask for a sizeable compensation. The 26-year-old playmaker’s current market value, as per Transfermarkt, stands at €20 million, but the Midlands club might ask for more.
Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad are keen on Tielemans, but the financial demands from Villa could scupper any potential deal. Ideally, the La Liga duo might prefer a loan approach, something Emery’s side might refuse to entertain.
Atletico are keen to sign a new midfielder and retain an interest in Tottenham’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. Signing the Dane would also prove an expensive affair, as Spurs are unlikely to sanction a loan move. Villa could take a similar stance and get rid of Tielemans permanently.
Even Sociedad may not have the funds for a permanent move, as Tielemans must find a way to exit the club. Whether the 26-year-old playmaker is keen to join a Spanish club remains the question, but with both teams likely to offer Champions League football, a move is not out of the question.
Moreover, Tielemans focuses on next summer’s Euros, for which he must play regularly somewhere. His situation at Villa could change drastically between now and January, but as things stand, he could leave in the next window.
