Arsenal have recently cooled their interest in signing Youri Tielemans from Leciester City. However, his impressive defensive statistics shows why the Gunners should still be pursuing a deal for the midfielder.
The Gunners have already signed a midfielder in this transfer window as Fabio Vieira joined for a £34m fee from Porto. The Portugal star is more of an attack-minded player with less defensive tendencies in his game, which means Arsenal still need to strengthen in this area.
Tielemans is a player who is not notoriously known for the defensive side of his game, and is often criticised for this. But, his key tackling statistics in the Premier League highlights why Arsenal should still attempt to pursue a deal.
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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.
Mikel Arteta's side have 'cooled' their interest in Tielemans, according to Sky Sports. The report claims that it's become increasingly likely that the Belgium international now signs a one-year contract extension at the King Power Stadium, with his current deal set to expire in 12 months.
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.
Tielemans has played the most minutes compared to any other player at the age of 24 or younger so far in their career, and it is by some distance. Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus falls in second place, having played 10,000 minutes less than the midfielder.
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.
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