Youri Tielemans to Arsenal has been the midfield saga of the club’s summer so far. Despite consistent reports linking the Belgian to the club, no official offer has yet been made.
Arsenal have already spent more than £80 million on Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Marquinhos and Matt Turner. However, it is widely recognised that plenty more is needed to prepare the squad for the new season.
The delay in the move for Tielemans was hinted to be due to a mystery midfield preference above the Leicester City player. Belgian football journalist Sacha Tavolieri told The Gooner Talk that Arsenal have a higher priority central midfield target that has so far remained out of the public eye.
READ MORE: Arsenal’s mystery central midfield target provides an explanation for Youri Tielemans hold-up
“It was quite a bit strange because the entourage and the player understands he was not at a certain moment the priority of Arsenal. So, they didn’t want to go for him as a priority one hundred per cent,” Tavolieri explained.
Adding: “[Arsenal] have a target and a main target in the midfield that is not Tielemans. That is also not [Amadou] Onana. They want the player absolutely, and they want to get him.
“Tielemans is seen as a good opportunity to get but in the meaning of Arsenal, they are telling ‘Okay, he has one [year] contract left, we have the time, we can go for the 10th or the 15th of August. Let’s go to our priority, if this doesn’t happen, okay we have the time to go for Tielemans. So, no hurry about this.”
This mystery player could perhaps have been revealed now with French outlet Media Foot claiming that Arsenal are ‘pushing’ to sign Lyon playmaker Lucas Paqueta. The move is taking play ‘behind-the-scenes’ which makes sense considering football.london revealed the club have implemented strategies to limit leaks of their transfer business.
Newcastle are a big rival of Arsenal’s in the race for the Brazilian. The Magpies stole away the Gunners’ midfield target Bruno Guimaraes and both clubs are looking to widen their Brazilian contingents.
The Chronicle report that the price for Paqueta could be as much as £58 million. However, Media Foot have a much lower price of 50m euros (£42.9) as their valuation of what Lyon would accept.
Paqueta would add plenty of quality to the midfield and forward line as the versatile former Milan player has excelled in several roles in Ligue 1. He has also played plenty of minutes with Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhaes.
The trio could be pivotal in convincing Paqueta to make the switch to north London. All the while Tielemans continues to wait for Arsenal to finally make their move if they ever will.
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