According to rumours, Arsenal is preparing to make a deal for Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans ahead of a crucial week for all parties.
Since May, Tielemans has been a target for the Gunners as Mikel Arteta’s team tries to entice the Belgian away from the King Power Stadium to strengthen their midfield.
The playmaker, whose contract with the Foxes expires at the end of this season, is allegedly hesitant to extend, placing pressure on the Premier League champions from 2015–16.
According to reports, Arsenal was pursuing Tielemans calmly and was considering a free transfer rather than agreeing to pay Leicester’s asking price.
BUT IT COULD ALL CHANGE THIS WEEK
As we approach the last week of the summer transfer window, North Londoners will reportedly make a fresh offer to the Midlands club for the midfielder, according to Belgian writer Sacha Tavolieri.
Leicester should prepare for more communication from the Arsenal management after it was reported that Arsenal manager Arteta had approved Tielemans’ profile.
The information coming out of Belgium accords with the version of events described by Italian journalist and transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, who anticipated movement with reference to Tielemans.
Romano called the transfer drama “one to watch” in his monthly CaughtOffside column.
The situation is completely open because so far there is no agreement for the player to extend his contract at the King Power Stadium
Fabrizio Romano
Leicester know that proposals could come and Arsenal have been interested since May, but have never made an official offer
The rumours have been fueled by significant absences from the starting lineup for the Foxes over the weekend, with Chelsea target Wesley Fofana leading the list of missing players in Leicester’s 2-1 home loss to Southampton.
Following the game, Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers said the two highly sought-after stars weren’t psychologically ready to face Southampton, despite rumours to the contrary.
I mentioned it in the week about coming into a Premier League game with players that maybe aren’t quite in the right frame of mind
You cannot carry them and we certainly can’t, so that is the reason. There are a few offers for some players nowhere near the valuation the club would want to sell
Brandon Rogers
None of them are for sale, but I know how the game works
Along with Tielemans, Tavolieri thinks the Gunners are also keeping an eye on Sandro Tonali of AC Milan and Moises Caicedo of Brighton & Hove Albion, who is also drawing interest from Manchester United.