Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal side have a huge few months ahead of them, with full concentration on the league before the summer that follows. The Spaniard has guided his team to fourth in the table, leading the race for a Champions League place by three points and one game in hand over fifth-placed Tottenham.
The run of games has put the Gunners in the spotlight for praise in recent weeks, with Arteta named Manager of the Month for March due to his achievement. However, the real task is to finish in the top four come the end of the campaign.
Competing in the Champions League creates extra revenue and could help attract higher-profile players in the summer, however the manager isn’t allowing himself to get carried away, saying earlier last month: “I look at the table with the games that we have remaining. We know where we are but we have to look forward, we have to look what we do, focus on our performance and prepare for the next match. That’s it because the rest we’re just gonna be guessing. I’m not a great gambler, I never have been, and I don’t want to gamble now.”
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With Manchester United, Chelsea, West Ham and Tottenham all to come before the season comes to a close, it is no surprise that he is coy on talk about finishing in the top four. Where they finish could also dictate where the side strengthens in the summer too.
While a striker appears to be a priority, a number of midfielders have been linked with a move to the Emirates, one of whom is Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans. The Belgian only has just over one-year remaining on his contract, opening up the potential for a transfer.
The 24-year-old has been a key part of the Foxes’ meteoric rise in recent seasons, becoming a stalwart in the midfield with 23 appearances in the Premier League this season, scoring six and assisting twice. He also had a key role in their first ever FA Cup triumph, scoring a wondergoal against Chelsea at Wembley to win the game 1-0.
However, the Telegraph reports that he could be set to leave this summer due to his contract situation, with manager Brendan Rodgers setting an asking price of £25million to let him leave. It could seem like quite a bargain for the Gunners if they were to make a move, seeing as he joined Leicester for £40million from Monaco in 2019.
There’s not only interest from Arsenal though as the report claims that Manchester United are similarly following the midfielder for a potential transfer. But the Gunners have a potential trump card over their Premier League rivals, with Tielemans looking to play Champions League football next season.
It puts Arteta and his men in the driving seat, though it remains to be seen exactly where they will finish at the end of the season. There is also said to be some interest from Liverpool and Real Madrid for the player.
With the summer transfer window just on the horizon, it will be handy for the Gunners now they know the value of Tielemans so they can adjust their plans accordingly. What matters for the meantime though is the league and what that will bring before the end of the season.
