Journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed that Arsenal fans may have to wait before their club move to sign Youri Tielemans.
In ‘a bolt from the blue’, as Goal’s Arsenal correspondent Charles Watts described it, Edu and the Emirates officials stunned supporters with the news that the club had agreed to a £34.2m deal for Porto midfielder Fabio Vieira last week. However, the journalist is still expecting the Gunners to land Tielemans.
That is despite reports from Sky Sports claiming that the north London club’s interest in the 25-year-old had cooled and that he is now more likely to pen a contract extension at the King Power Stadium, with his current deal at Leicester City expiring at the end of the coming season.
Speaking on NUFC Matters, Jacobs was discussing the latest surrounding Newcastle United’s transfer plans when he stated that Mikel Arteta’s side are still interested in a transfer – but admitted that it isn’t a priority.
Do you think Arsenal will sign Tielemans?Yes
No
|
He said: “My understanding is twofold at the moment. One is that Arsenal have not walked away 100%.
“I still think that there is a good chance of Tielemans going to Arsenal, and if the interest has cooled, it may just be because of the finances and the volume of players that they want to bring in.
“So they might try and get [Gabriel] Jesus in first and see who else they can add, and then if the money warrants it and there’s time in the window in two, three, four weeks’ time or beyond, they may make a later move for Tielemans.”
TIF Thoughts on Tielemans to Arsenal…
|
|
Called ‘one of Europe’s best midfielders’ by his current manager Brendan Rodgers, the Belgian would certainly challenge for a first-team place, perhaps alongside Martin Odegaard while Thomas Partey takes care of the defensive duties in the engine room.
Jacobs also confirmed on the show that personal terms between the club and Tielemans’ agent had been agreed (45:28), but perhaps Arteta’s budget will not allow a deal to materialise.
The Gunners are keen to bring in Gabriel Jesus, although city rivals Tottenham are threatening to hijack a move, and perhaps the outcome of that particular saga could have a direct influence on the future of Tielemans.