Mikel Arteta has been told how Arsenal technical director Edu can complete the signing of Youri Tielemans, but a difficult decision has to be made. The 25-year-old faces an increasingly uncertain future at Leicester City as he enters the final 12 months of his deal at the King Power Stadium.
football.london understand that the Gunners are interested in signing the Belgium international despite having already signed a midfielder this summer in the shape of Fabio Vieira. And, initially, it looked as if the former Porto star's move to north London would deter Tielemans from penning a deal in north London.
With Arsenal having held long interest in the Belgian and the Foxes leaving the door open to exits, he could well be on the move in the coming weeks. However, according to Goal, it could require a high-profile player to leave in order for Tielemans to pen a deal at London Colney, with the new Premier League campaign now just around the corner.
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Goal's report suggests that Granit Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny or even Lucas Torreira could hold the key to Tielemans' arrival - dependent on how one qualifies as a 'high-profile' player. But it's easier said than done, with Xhaka and Elneny often referred to as figureheads in Arteta's camp.
As Tielemans approaches the final months of his deal at the King Power Stadium, Leicester could be left with no choice but to cash-in soon, or else face being left empty handed next summer. As it stands, the Belgian will be eligible to engage in pre-contractual talks with foreign clubs in January and, failing that, leave on a free via the Bosman ruling next summer.
When asked for an update on Tielemans' situation at Leicester, Rodgers said: "There's no update at all. He's an amazing guy to work with. He's just re-joined the club [for pre-season] and he's pretty much the same. In training he's very committed.
"He's happy in his work and he's happy at the club. But, naturally, with a year in his contract he may feel he has to look at everything for him and his family. But I certainly know he’s committed while he is here.
"I'll have a good chat with Youri next week to get privately what he's thinking. But it won't change, whether he's leaving or staying for another five years, he'll still be super committed."
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