Liverpool have been urged to battle Arsenal in the transfer race to sign Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans in January by former Reds and England defender Glen Johnson. The Gunners have been linked with a move for the Belgian but are yet to make an official offer.
They could have done so in the summer, with the Foxes looking to offload players before they could make signings of their own, with Tielemans only having one-year remaining on his deal at the club. Reports suggested that personal terms with Arsenal had been broadly agreed in case a swoop was made.
That never happened, though, with Mikel Arteta potentially ruing a missed opportunity in the wake of some key midfield absences. Talking about the transfer window after it slammed shut, he admitted: "We did the business pretty early, but unfortunately, in the last 72 hours, Thomas [Partey] got injured in the same place as last time, and then Mo [Mohamed Elneny] has a long-term injury, and we had to react in the market.
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"We tried, and at the end of the day, we have to bring in the players we feel are right for the team and the club, but we didn't manage to do that. We pushed to strengthen the team. We could have done something if there was the right player, the right deal and something we could afford.
"It was a real possibility, and we tried, but we kept our discipline to say it has to be the [right] player for the team and the club. We have our limitations, and time was a big limitation with what happened in the last 72 hours in our midfield."
The Spaniard will have to get his squad all the way until January, though a World Cup in November and December may be a boost for the time needed to get reinforcements in January. While there may be initial regret over missing Tielemans in the summer, there could be further regret if they lose the target to a rival.
That is exactly what Johnson wants to see happen, suggesting Liverpool should make a January move for the 25-year-old. He said, speaking to Bettingodds.com: "I'd definitely be looking to sign him. If it's safer to secure it now and pay a small fee, then I'd do that. I wouldn't run the risk of allowing anyone else to have him for free. I think he's the sort of player that could fit into any team relatively straightforwardly.
"We know their [Liverpool] squad is quite light, and they're starting XI is hindered quite a lot when they have a couple of injuries. I definitely think they need a few more bodies in there."
CIES Football Observatory has the midfielder valued as worth roughly £44million, however, with only a few months remaining on his deal by the time January rolls around, he could be signed for far less. It could see a side claim a bargain, but the Gunners will be hopeful it's them and not their rivals in doing so.
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