During the summer transfer window, Arsenal's hunt to sign a central midfielder was well-documented. One of the names high on Edu's list of targets was Leicester City star Youri Tielemans.
football.london reported during the window that the Belgian was keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium and that he would be willing to see out the last year of his Leicester contract before sealing a move. Though if a rival made an offer this summer, Arsenal would make a move.
Three months after the end of the summer transfer window, Arsenal have been given a perfect final scouting chance to signs Tielemans. This comes after it was confirmed that the Belgian has been included in Roberto Martinez’s 26-man squad for the World Cup in Qatar.
READ MORE: Edu's genius loan decision can save Arsenal £25m amid 'positive' Mudryk Mykhaylo transfer talks
The Gunners need to sign a midfielder due to a lack of depth and quality in the middle of the park, with Arteta admitting they lacked depth after the loss against Brighton in the Carabao Cup. CBS Sports reported earlier in the season that Tielemans would be available for £30million. However, a deal failed to materialise in the summer window as Mikel Arteta's side 'cooled' their interest in the Belgian earlier in the market, according to Sky Sports.
Tielemans could be extremely useful for Arsenal as Edu must look to sign more midfield reinforcements. Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey are two players whose place in the team are currently untouchable. Albert Sambi Lokonga and Mohammed Elneny are the two backup players, but their levels in terms of experience and quality do not compare with the two starters.
Tielemans would be able to bridge the quality gap, and a deal could be easier to complete as the midfielder is yet to sign a new contract, with his current deal at the King Power Stadium expiring at the end of the next season.
With Partey already missing a couple of games this season, it has sent a reminder that Arsenal need to address the strength in depth of the midfield department. His value was already highlighted in this campaign when Arteta’s side travelled to Old Trafford on the back of five consecutive wins. Arsenal struggled in the midfield against United, and ultimately lost 3-1 as Albert Sambi Lokonga came in to replace Partey, proving that without the Ghanaian in the team, the Gunners become a much weaker force.
Tielemans’ range of passing and ability to strike the ball also makes him a useful option in the No.8 role. The Belgian sent Arsenal a key reminder why Edu should look to reconsider a transfer when the January window opens.
With the Belgian having an inconsistent start to the campaign for Leicester, the World Cup could give Edu the final decision on whether or not to sign the Belgian for a cut-price deal in January.
READ NEXT:
Mikel Arteta gives brutally honest review of Fabio Vieira as Arsenal transfer call questioned
Arsenal player ratings vs Brighton as Karl Hein endures nightmare debut but Saliba shows class
What William Saliba and Rob Holding did to Karl Hein after Arsenal mistake vs Brighton
What Danny Welbeck did after scoring against Arsenal for Brighton amid unique record
Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: Latest news, rumours and gossip from the Emirates Stadium
