Arsenal: Arteta 'still interested' in £120k-a-week World Cup star | OneFootball

Arsenal remain interested in signing Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans, but they may no longer be at the front of the queue, says journalist Paul Brown.

With the Gunners sitting five points clear at the top of the Premier League, they will be looking to strengthen their grip on top spot and could add midfield recruits in January.

What’s the latest on Youri Tielemans’ future?

Arsenal have been long-term admirers of Leicester’s Belgian midfielder and were linked with a move for him in the summer.

However, the 25-year-old’s £120k-a-week contract is set to expire next summer, and according to Fabrizio Romano he is looking to move to a new club next summer.

The Gunners had been linked with making a move for Tielemans in January, but Leicester will try and reject all offers for him in the next window and are preparing to offer him a new contract – which they are quietly confident of the Belgian signing.

Tielemans is on his way home from Qatar following a disappointing World Cup campaign for Belgium, but his future will be of huge discussion at the King Power Stadium upon his return from the tournament.

What does Paul Brown say about Tielemans’ situation?

Journalist Paul Brown believes there’ll be plenty of interest in Tielemans this summer, but Arsenal are still very keen on the Belgian.

Brown told GIVEMESPORT: “They like this player. He’s going to command quite a lot of interest in the summer because of his contract situation. There may be other clubs that are ahead of Arsenal in the queue now, I think there will be quite a few who come in for him. I think Tielemans is a great player I think he’d fit really well at Arsenal, but certainly, his representatives know that there is still interest there from the Gunners.”

What would Tielemans offer Arsenal?

Arsenal’s interest in Tielemans sees them target a talented midfielder, who already has four seasons’ worth of experience in the Premier League.

Tielemans joined the Foxes in January 2019, initially on a loan move from Monaco, where Leicester ironically beat the Gunners along with Newcastle and West Ham for his signature. The transfer was then made permanent in the summer for a fee of around £40 million.

He has scored 27 goals and provided 25 assists in his 175 appearances for the Foxes, something that would give an Arsenal midfield that boasts the in-form Martin Odegaard and Granit Xhaka, even more options in the middle.

Mikkel Arteta may have to wait until the summer to get his man, but it may not stop Arsenal from a January spending spree to add to his squad as he looks to capitalise on the Gunners’ excellent campaign.