Arsenal drew their first Premier League game of the season on Sunday afternoon following a 1-1 draw with Southampton. Despite the result, Mikel Arteta’s side still top the Premier League by two points, but this would have been a four-point gap with victory over the Saints.
A major reason why the Gunners were not able to claim three points from the game was due to the inability to be decisive in the final third and create clear-cut chances for the forwards. Southampton were hardly on the front foot but were clinical when given the chance in front of goal.
This match was played at the same time Leicester City travelled to Wolves, a match in which Youri Tielemans scored a wonderful goal which provided a reminder to Arsenal what they could have if they had the Belgian in their ranks.
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During the transfer window, Tielemans was understood by football.london to be in a position whereby he would accept a move to the Emirates Stadium for free next summer, although if another club made an offer this summer, Arsenal would make a move to try and sign him.
The Gunners 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 £30m. However, a deal has failed to materialise in the summer window as Mikel Arteta's side 'cooled' their interest in the Belgian earlier in the market, according to Sky Sports.
Tielemans could be extremely useful for Arsenal as Edu must look to sign more midfield reinforcements. Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey are two players whose place in the team are currently untouchable. Albert Sambi Lokogna and Mohammed Elneny are the two backup players, but their levels in terms of experience and quality do not compare with the two starters.
Tielemans would be able to bridge the quality gap, and a deal could be easier to complete as the midfielder is yet to sign a new contract, with his current deal at the King Power Stadium expiring at the end of the next season.
With Partey already missing a couple of games this season, it has sent a reminder that Arsenal need to address the strength in depth of the midfield department. His value was already highlighted in this campaign when Arteta’s side travelled to Old Trafford on the back of five consecutive wins. Arsenal struggled in the midfield against United, and ultimately lost 3-1 as Albert Sambi Lokonga came in to replace Partey, proving that without the Ghanaian in the team, the Gunners become a much weaker force.
Tielemans’ range of passing and ability to strike the ball also makes him a useful option in the No.8 role. The Belgian sent Arsenal a key reminder why Edu should look to reconsider a transfer when the January window opens.
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