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Touri Tielemans has been linked with a move away from Leicester City all summer, but it appears there is a reason why Arsenal have not made a formal approach.
THE LOWDOWN: AN EVER-PRESENT INTEREST
Tielemans and Leicester City endured a torrid 2021/22 campaign but he was still a key man for the King Power outfit, scoring six goals in 26 Premier League starts and averaging 1.2 key passes per game.
The 24-year-old has been linked with a move away from the club numerous times, with the Belgian approaching the final year of his current contract. Arsenal have chased the Belgian midfielder all summer and at a point, it looked as if there was a breakthrough. However, that claim never turned out true as the Gunners are still battling for his signature three months later.
Now, there is a major update as regards the non-approach of the Gunners to bring their long-term target to the Emirates stadium.
THE LATEST: NO APPROACH YET
Leicester chairman Aiyawatt ‘Top’ Srivaddhanaprabha confirmed that the club are yet to receive any offers for Tielemans.
“There haven’t been any offers yet; there hasn’t been anything concrete or a proposition yet.”
Apparently, Mikel Arteta, who is currently having a makeover of his squad ahead of the new campaign, isn’t convinced about the physical frame of the Belgian. It is believed that the Spanish manager wants an imposing figure in the heart of his midfield, hence the lack of a formal approach from the Gunners despite the strong links.
THE VERDICT: A DECISION HAS TO BE MADE
Arsenal have been quite active in the transfer window this summer. A couple of additions have been made to the squad and the team is taking shape ahead of the new season.
Meanwhile, Arteta reiterated that the Gunners are not done in the market. with more signings to be made alongside a number of exits from the club before the end of August. It is in the central midfield position that a new face has not been welcomed and both Youri Tielemans and Juventus’ Arthur Melo have been long-term targets.
A report stated that a short-term deal has been reached for Melo, and if true, that should automatically rule out an offer for the Belgian star. One thing is certain, Arsenal can’t afford to have both players in the squad at the same time especially when Mohammed El Neny has just signed a new contract and Sambi Lokonga is looking at establishing himself in the side this term.
However, Tielemans is entering the final year of his contract and he has agreed not to extend, which gives the Gunners the opportunity to reach an agreement with him by January if they still want to.
