Leicester now confident Youri Tielemans won’t join Arsenal in January

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Leicester City are now reportedly confident that Youri Tielemans won’t depart the club in January, with Arsenal the current favourites to sign the 25-year-old midfielder in the new year.

According to Leicestershire Live, the Foxes are hedging their bets that the Belgian international will remain at the club beyond the January window despite Tielemans’ contract coming to an end in the summer. Meaning that the midfielder is free to talk to any club he wants about the possibility of signing a pre-contract agreement.

Signed by Leicester in 2019 for a reported £40m according to the Guardian, Leicester look set to lose on quite the financial package for Tielemans following their newest stance on the midfielder. And for Arsenal, their Premier League rivals being intent on keeping the former AS Monaco star would be quite the January blow.

Arsenal have long been linked with signing Tielemans, and the January window felt like the perfect opportunity for Mikel Arteta to make the move happen. However, Leicester might have just thwarted any plans the north London side had on moving for the Belgian.

Indeed, Arsenal have wanted depth in the central midfield since the start of the summer transfer window, and Tielemans is viewed by many as the perfect option for the Gunners. But, Leicester’s newest stance could push the Premier League leaders into looking at alternative targets.

Moreover, Leicester’s decision to keep hold of Tielemans in January could backfire massively for the Foxes, who this season look set to miss out on European football altogether and could now miss out on a huge pay day for their star midfielder, who is set to leave in 2023 anyway.

Arsenal should still make January offer to sign Tielemans

Leicester’s stance on Tielemans might have changed, but that doesn’t mean Arsenal should give up just yet on signing the midfielder, with the Foxes in a very weak position when it comes to the 25-year-old’s future given his contract situation.

As we know, Arsenal will have money to spend this January on new players. And if Arteta pushes hard enough, signing Tielemans could be an easy ordeal if the midfielder himself is open to a move to north London, much to the dismay of Leicester.