Arsenal have been linked to a host of midfielders throughout the summer transfer window. However, in recent weeks the Gunners had been linked to two players in Youri Tielemans and Lucas Paqueta who could fill that void.
Despite the strong links to Paqueta, French news outlet L’Equipe have reported that the Brazilian is not interested in joining the Gunners. A potential reason for this is because the report goes on to claim that Manchester City are interested in securing his services if Bernardo Silva departs from the club.
With Arsenal desperately needing to sign a midfielder before the end of the transfer window, Edu must be proactive in his pursuit of Tielemans. The Belgian has already shown that he would be an ideal signing for the Gunners.
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Since the start of the 2019/2020 Premier League season, Tielemans ranks eighth for the most tackles made in the division, having tackled on 212 occasions. This is impressive for a midfielder who is more scrutinised than praised for his work on the defensive front, and it also shows why Arsenal should still pursue a deal to further accommodate the Vieira signing.
The Gunners will need to sign a midfielder due to a lack of depth and quality in the middle of the park. CBS Sports reported earlier in the season that Tielemans would be available for £25m, which makes him an absolute bargain to solve Arsenal’s midfield issues.
The 24-year-old has been a regular in the Premier League for the last three seasons and has played a big part in Leicester's Champions League push over the last few campaigns. The midfielder's impressive performances have seen the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid show interest in him.
More importantly, he has already played in 20 Champions League games, showing that he has the necessary European experience. With Arsenal striving for their own top-four push, this will be an added bonus.
Despite the Gunners reportedly cooling their interest in the midfielder, it is a potential deal that Edu should look to get back on track as the Belgium international would prove to be a bargain for the north London side.
After it is clear that Arsenal are no longer in for Paqueta, Tielemans certainly becomes the next best option. The Gunners have had a successful window so far and capturing the signature of the Belgian would propel the north London side in their push for Champions League qualification ahead of next season.
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