Arsenal’s links to Youri Tielemans has been ongoing throughout the summer transfer window without any serious breakthrough. But, with the Gunners losing out on potential alternatives, Edu must push through with the deal.
The north London side had been linked to Lucas Paqueta before the opening of the summer transfer window. Italian news outlet Calciomercato reported that the Gunners were interested in signing the Lyon midfielder.
However, The Athletic’s David Ornstein has claimed that West Ham are working on a deal to sign the Brazilian midfielder from Lyon. A bid worth €40million (£35million) has been made with talks advancing over a fee and personal terms to complete a deal. With another potential alternative to Tielemans being taken off the market, it is pivotal that Arsenal complete a deal before also losing out on Belgian.
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David Moyes confirmed a Paqueta bid from his press conference as he said: "I'll not talk about him but I can tell you that we have bid for him. Twenty-three, 30 Brazil caps, can play 10, eight, plays as a false nine for Brazil quite often.”
"I think his pedigree is really good. Your pedigree doesn't always guarantee that it works but you hope that it helps towards possibly getting better."
The Gunners will need to sign a midfielder due to a lack of depth and quality in the middle of the park. CBS Sports reported earlier in the season that Tielemans would be available for £30m, which makes him an absolute bargain to solve Arsenal’s midfield issues.
The 24-year-old has been a regular in the Premier League for the last three seasons and has played a big part in Leicester's Champions League push over the last few campaigns. The midfielder's impressive performances have seen the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid show interest in him.
Since the start of the 2019/2020 Premier League season, Tielemans ranks eighth for the most tackles made in the division, having tackled on 212 occasions. This is impressive for a midfielder who is more scrutinised than praised for his work on the defensive front, and it also shows why Arsenal should still pursue a deal to further accommodate the Vieira signing.
However, a deal has failed to materialise in this window Mikel Arteta's side have 'cooled' their interest in Tielemans, according to Sky Sports. The report claims that it's become increasingly likely that the Belgium international now signs a one-year contract extension at the King Power Stadium, with his current deal set to expire in 12 months.
However, this may not be Arsenal’s true intention as the same situation happened with Ramsdale in the previous summer transfer window. Tielemans would be an ideal acquisition for the Gunners, and with his cheap price tag it would be a surprise for Edu not to complete a deal.
Despite the Gunners reportedly cooling their interest in the midfielder, it is a potential deal that Edu should look to get back on track as the Belgium international would prove to be a bargain for the north London side.
The Gunners are not the only club interested in the Belgian as CBS Sports have also reported that Manchester United are interested in securing his services. Suppose Arsenal are going to continue to pass up on potential alternatives to the Leicester midfielder which has been seen with Paqueta, it is crucial that Edu signs Tielemans to prevent leaving Arteta with a lack of options in the middle of the park.
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