Arsenal didn’t end up signing Youri Tielemans on deadline day and Manchester United chose not to make a move for him either.
Reports from talkSPORT ahead of deadline day suggested that Arsenal had real belief that Leicester City would be willing to sell Tielemans.
The Belgian midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season and deadline day presented Leicester with their final chance to get some cash for Tielemans.
Arsenal failed to land Brighton and Hove Albion star Moises Caicedo so Tielemans was touted as an alternative target.
Tielemans never really felt like the right fit for Arsenal though.
Tielemans has athletic deficiencies that make him a clunky fit in Arsenal’s lone holding midfield role, which is where they wanted to strengthen.
Arsenal didn’t move for Tielemans in the end as Jorginho came in from Chelsea instead – and it seems Manchester United had a similar stance on the Belgian.
Manchester United join Arsenal in avoiding late Youri Tielemans deal
Manchester United were dealt a major blow on deadline day with playmaker Christian Eriksen picking up a significant injury.
The Red Devils are going to be without Eriksen until spring and Erik ten Hag needed a replacement at short notice.
Sky Sports report that United did consider making a move to sign Tielemans before the deadline.
However, Leicester’s demands were ‘too large’ even with Tielemans just months away from leaving the club for free.
United moved on and secured the signing of Bayern Munich midfielder Marcel Sabitzer instead.
That means Tielemans will now see out the season at Leicester and likely move on as a free agent in the summer.
It’s starting to feel like the top Premier League clubs have doubts over Tielemans and may only take the punt on him when hie deal ends.
Maybe Arsenal and United will have another look in the summer, but other targets will surely be higher on their respective wish lists.
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