Arsenal in 'driving seat' to sign 'outstanding' £40m star at the Emirates | OneFootball

Arsenal are in the “driving seat” to sign Youri Tielemans, according to The Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

Mikel Arteta is hoping to bolster his midfielder with the addition of the Belgian, although the Gunners are yet to agree terms with Leicester City.

What’s the latest news involving Tielemans?

Having suffered badly with the loss of Thomas Partey, whose season-ending injury derailed Arsenal’s campaign and saw them miss out on top four, Arteta needs midfield reinforcements in order to build a squad ready to compete once again.

And CBS Sports Golazo believe the north Londoners are confident of bringing Tielemans to the Emirates Stadium this summer, with the report stating that he’s valued at around £40m, with just one year left on his Foxes contract.

Tottenham are also interested in the 25-year-old and the Evening Standard reported last month that Arsenal’s hopes of landing him could hinge on whether they qualified for the Champions League.

But with Spurs now on the verge of sealing a £25m deal for Brighton & Hove Albion star Yves Bissouma, it could give the Gunners a relatively free run at Tielemans’ signature.

And Taylor reckons Arteta’s outfit remain in pole position to sign the midfielder, who was described by Brendan Rodgers as ‘outstanding‘ back in October.

What did Taylor say about Tielemans?

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I know there’s interest, but there’s not been any teams that he’s a concrete target for.

“Tottenham will probably be one of the teams considering him, but you get the sense they’re looking at other names as well.

“So, for Arsenal, they’re the team in the driving seat and if they want to do the deal then I’m sure it’s there to be done, especially with one year remaining on his deal at Leicester.”

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How did Tielemans perform last season?

According to WhoScored, Tielemans was Leicester’s sixth-best player last term, and while he wasn’t at his consistent best, he continued his growing reputation as an incredibly well-rounded midfielder.

He chipped in with six goals and four assists in the Premier League, with only Jamie Vardy and James Maddison finding the net more, but it wasn’t just goal contributions where he left his mark.

The star made the third-most key passes in the Foxes squad, while only four of his teammates averaged more passes (53.4) per outing, with 83.5 per cent of those successful.

Known for his passing range, crossing technique, and ability to drive forward, Tielemans also produced some impressive off the ball numbers.

Last season, he averaged the fourth-most tackles in the squad per appearance (2.3), the second-most dribbles (1.8) and also averages 1.1 clearances every time he takes to the pitch.