Arsenal told on US TV it’s ‘surprising’ they haven’t gone in to sign FA Cup winner

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Steven Nicol has claimed that he is ‘surprised’ Arsenal haven’t gone in to sign 2021 FA Cup winner, Youri Tielemans, from Leicester City this summer.

The Anfield legend told US TV on ESPN that Tielemans is someone who would form a ‘great partnership’ with Thomas Partey in the middle of the park for Arsenal.

Tielemans has one-year left on his current deal at the King Power Stadium, with suggestions that he may well put pen-to-paper on a new deal.

If that happens, then it would be a body blow for Arsenal because they are keen to sign the 25-year-old, who scored Leicester’s winning goal in the FA Cup final against Chelsea in 2021.

Either way, Nicol is firmly in the camp of Tielemans signing a new contract with the Foxes, even though he feels the player has outgrown the club.

“I am surprised someone like Arsenal haven’t gone in to sign him,” said Nicol. “I think he ends up staying at Leicester City. I think he’s better than Leicester, to be honest.

“I think Arsenal should have gone and signed this guy. Granit Xhaka is a good Premier League player, but I don’t think he is good enough to push Arsenal into the top four or certainly challenge for any major competition.

“I think Tielemans and Thomas Partey would be a great partnership in the middle of the park. So, I am surprised there hasn’t been more talk of Tielemans, especially from an Arsenal point of view.

“I think you can get him now for a decent price, yet no-one seems to be going for him, it kind of suggests that the top teams aren’t interested, which suggests he is going to stay, which is good news for Leicester because he is a good player.”

TIELEMANS SHOULD BE PLAYING IN EUROPE

A player of great technical ability, Tielemans would suit a possession-based team down to the ground because he has a great way of manoeuvring the ball in the middle of the park.

Added with that, he has also proven that he has an eye for goal and can score in the big games for Leicester City.

There’s no doubt that a player of the Belgian’s quality should be playing European football, and with Leicester dropping out of it, a team in Europe should be picking him up.

That’s where someone like Arsenal come into it, but perhaps they are more focused on other more important signings, such as Gabriel Jesus, before turning their attention on other targets.