£40m star ‘number one transfer target’ at the Emirates

Arsenal still have Leicester ace Youri Tielemans as their number one midfield target this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Gunners have been chasing the Belgium international’s signature throughout the window but are yet to successfully convince him to make the switch to the Emirates Stadium.

What’s the latest news involving Tielemans?

Arsenal have enjoyed a productive transfer window, which has been highlighted by their strong start to the Premier League season, with Gabriel Jesus already in top form.

But Mikel Arteta is yet to bolster his midfield options despite being a long-term admirer of Tielemans.

Back in May, before the Gunners had failed to qualify for the Champions League, it looked like Arsenal were progressing with a deal, with The Sun claiming the north Londoners were close to signing the 25-year-old for £40m.

But nothing has yet materialised, which has allowed Tielemans to start the season playing for Leicester despite entering the final 12 months of his contract at the King Power Stadium.

Football.London recently claimed that Arsenal are ‘prepared to wait’ until next summer once he becomes a free agent, but Jones reckons that he remains their top target heading into the latter stages of the window.

What did Jones say about Tielemans?

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I think Tielemans is still their number one choice if they go down that route.

“It’s not totally clear yet if they will even sign a midfielder of that type, but that decision will be made very soon.”

Why do Arsenal want Tielemans?

Not only does Arteta need depth in the middle of the park, but he needs quality, and Tielemans would tick both of those boxes.

Last season, Arsenal capitulated following Thomas Partey’s injury at Crystal Palace in April and therefore signing Tielemans, a proven quality operator at Premier League level, could prevent that from potentially happening again.

In more than 150 Leicester appearances, Tielemans has registered 24 goals and 24 assists and helped the Foxes win their first ever FA Cup, with his stunning winning goal securing a 1-0 victory over Chelsea back in 2021.

With Tielemans also into the last year of his contract, he’s likely to be available for no more than £40m, and at that price, it’s really a deal Arsenal should be pushing to complete before the window slams shut.

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