Arsenal have been heavily linked with Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans over the past few years.
Last year, there were reports suggesting that the Belgian had actually agreed terms with the Gunners.
Now, with Tielemans’ contract expiring in the summer, Arsenal have the chance to land him on a free transfer.
However, recent speculation has been suggesting that the Gunners have cooled their interest in Tielemans.
TEAMtalk recently reported that Edu has held transfer talks with Tielemans’ agents over a summer move.
The Arsenal chief was apparently left shocked by the 26-year-old’s wage demands and cooled his interest.
Now, Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport that he feels Mikel Arteta and Edu will start looking elsewhere.
The transfer insider said the Arsenal boss and hierarchy remained unconvinced about Tielemans.
“They’re now going to the Champions League,” said Jones.
“And yeah, that’s a place where Tielemans wants to be.
“That’s why he’s been pushing to leave Leicester for a long time now because he believes that’s his stage.
“But he’s got to prove that. And Brendan Rodgers, I don’t think, was ever convinced that he was a Champions League player while he was at Leicester.
“And I’m not sure that Mikel Arteta will be totally convinced that he can trust Tielemans as that player either.
“I think Arsenal will start to look elsewhere.”
Our view
Tielemans’ stock has fallen over the course of the season. But perhaps this is a bit unfair on the player.
Despite Leicester’s woes, he has still been performing fairly well.
He has played 7.49 progressive passes per game and is in the top 86% percentile for passes attempted (FBref).
The midfielder has also been completing 2.69 tackles and 1.59 interceptions per game.
However, Arsenal’s continued hesitation doesn’t bode well for Tielemans’ hopes of arriving at N5.
If they really wanted him, they’d have gone for him already.
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