Youri Tielemans

Gunner89

[size=small][size=large]Mikel Arteta is pushing Arsenal to make an opening £25 million bid for Youri Tielemans, the Leicester midfielder.[/size]
[size=large]Arteta has identified Tielemans as one of his leading summer targets, with the Arsenal manager making a number of background checks on the Belgium international.[/size][/size]

[size=x-small][size=large]Tielemans has one year left on his Leicester contract and, ideally, wants to play in the Champions League next season.[/size][/size]
[size=x-small][size=large]Arsenal finished fifth to secure a place in the Europa League but it is understood Tielemans and his representatives are now open to the prospect of playing in that competition.[/size][/size]

[size=x-small][size=large]Tielemans, 25, has been watched consistently this season by Arsenal’s head of UK scouting James Ellis, who was at the King Power Stadium on Sunday for Leicester’s 4-1 win over Southampton.[/size][/size]

[size=x-small][size=large]Arteta believes Tielemans has the qualities and versatility to flourish in the midfield position Arsenal are prioritising this summer.[/size][/size]

[size=x-small][size=large]With just over 12 months left on Tielemans’ contract, Leicester will seek a significant fee and could even demand a price of over £30 million.[/size][/size]

[size=x-small][size=large]The sale of Tielemans could be crucial to Brendan Rodgers’s hopes of strengthening his own squad, with Leicester keen to raise funds by offloading players.[/size][/size]

[size=x-small][size=large]Though negotiations over a new contract with Tielemans have stalled for over a year, his conduct and professionalism has been exemplary. [/size][/size]

[size=x-small][size=large]He will not push for a move and, at this stage, Leicester have not received any official contact from Arsenal. Liverpool and Manchester United have shown interest in recent years but he is not believed to be a priority now.[/size][/size]

[size=x-small][size=large]Signed from Monaco for a club record fee of £32 million in July 2019, Tielemans has been a key player under Rodgers and scored last season’s winning goal in the FA Cup final against Chelsea.[/size][/size]

[size=x-small]https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/football/2022/05/23/TELEMMGLPICT000258714332_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqqVzuuqpFlyLIwiB6NTmJwfyKvq_nGV8CVExf4qSbkzM.jpeg?imwidth=480[/img][/size]
[size=medium]Youri Tielemans celebrates Leicester's FA Cup final triumph [size=x-small]CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES[/size][/size]
[size=x-small][size=large]Last week, Rodgers said: “The problem, because of the gossip and spec[/size][/size][size=medium]ulation around it, it shines a light on him [Tielemans]. [/size]

[size=x-small][size=large]“For me, he’s still the same guy, his professionalism is first-class. That’s why I always play him.[/size][/size]

[size=x-small][size=large]“He makes passes in the team that not many can make. He fights for the team and that’s the type of person he is. [/size][/size]

[size=x-small][size=large]"He’s maybe not played to the top of his level sometimes but his commitment, his training every day, and his preparation shows he’s a top-class professional.”[/size][/size]

MistaT

Meh.

He's a tidy player, but I also think there's significant risk with this signing. He was never that athletic to begin with, and has since added a ton of minutes/miles. With Tielemans we could see a better functioning left wing in attack - in turn getting more from Martinelli - but I also think we'd continue to rely too heavily on Partey in defense.

Also get the feeling that he wouldn't help us get more out of Odegaard. Perhaps he enables Odegaard to play further up, or have less defensive focus on him, but I don't see him as a willing runner to get on the end of Odegaard possession/crosses.

Gazza M

if he's the only midfielder we sign, we're fucked

Tam

We should try and find out who Leicester would replace him with, then sign that player instead.

Anzac

Aouar for around 12-13m?

jones

Leicester definitely have better scouts than us but they also have a lot of duds to be fair, better clubs around to copy for that. 45m for Tielemans in the first place wasn't great business.

We don't need someone in that position per se but I really liked the look of Bassey in the final, head and shoulders above the rest of your team Tam. He apparently was just moved from LB to CB this season but I could even see him playing as a DM, has good distribution and moves his big frame around surprisingly quick. Haven't seen him at LB but if he's anywhere as good there as he is at CB he'd cover several positions really well.

Clrnc

Tam wrote:
We should try and find out who Leicester would replace him with, then sign that player instead.

😆 so true.

We should have signed David from Lille if we went for that formula.

Gunner89

Romano and John cross saying this should advance next week

lorddulaarsenal

Hmmmm really not convinced. Doesn’t seem agile enough and can be very sloppy on the ball.

That said he does carry a goal threat and can thread a pass.

deardevil

Hasn't he given away more penalties than most in the league?

Looks like the perfect replacement for Xhaka, and not in a good way.

KingslandBarge

The combination of Tielemans and Zinchenko would be good depth (I know more on here see the latter as a fullback investment primarily), but in my opinion does not sufficiently bolster us in the level of physical and technical quality I'd want for us. The sides above would still fancy dominating that area and getting into our backline (direct or stretching).

QuincyAbeyie

@Dd This season, yes. Other seasons, zero.

That sums up Tielemans for me, the guys in charge need to decide what version of Tielemans they think we're getting. Last season he was their best player while this season he's been far from it for a lesser team.

Gazza M

he lacks a real raison d'etre as a midfielder. ramsey was a better goalscorer from midfield, odegaard has better technical ability and eye for a pass, and elneny and xhaka are better defenders. we need midfielders that bring specific, tangible qualities to the table. no moody master-of-none flakes, please. and my feelings aren't based on his performances last season. he's never passed the eye test for me since he came to england. imo he's a passenger in the making and we'll all be complaining about him ghosting through games if he comes here

jones

Gazza M wrote:
he lacks a real raison d'etre as a midfielder. ramsey was a better goalscorer from midfield, odegaard has better technical ability and eye for a pass, and elneny and xhaka are better defenders. we need midfielders that bring specific, tangible qualities to the table. no moody master-of-none flakes, please. and my feelings aren't based on his performances last season. he's never passed the eye test for me since he came to england. imo he's a passenger in the making and we'll all be complaining about him ghosting through games if he comes here

That's my assessment of him too, has been since his move to Monaco already

Coombs

He'd be an upgrade I'm sure, if not an ideal signing. I do still like him as a player.

Clrnc

The players we are always linked to nowadays is either City players or obvious PL players. Unimaginative.

When will our scouts dig out a gem or we go for exciting foreign talents like Alvarez rather than Jesus?

Ray

They tried that with Sambi and Tavares

QuincyAbeyie

Pretty weird example. The only excitement around Tavares was with the Benfica fans who'd see the back of him.

Clrnc

And Sambi was reccomended by Henry wasn't it?

He is still someone with good potential anyway

Anzac

Reading on Le Grove he made the 2nd most recoveries by a midfielder for the season - ahead of both Bissouma and Rice.