Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is a big fan of Leicester City star Youri Tielemans but decided to promote Harvey Elliott instead of spending £40 million or more on the Premier League ace, as reported by The Athletic.
The Foxes may be desperate to shed that ‘selling club’ tag but, with his contract expiring in 2023 and talks over an extension yet to get off the ground, fears are growing at the King Power that Tielemans will soon follow in the footsteps of Harry Maguire, Ben Chilwell, Riyad Mahrez and N’Golo Kante.
2023 may feel a long way away but look at it like this – if Tielemans is due to become a free agent in less than two years’ time, next summer will be the last chance Leicester have to make a tidy profit on arguably their most influential talent.
The Foxes have a decision to make, then. Do they risk losing Tielemans for nothing or do they cash in while they can?
One thing’s for sure, you can expect plenty of clubs across the continent to come calling in the next 12 months or so, with Manchester United and Real Madrid just two giants crying out for a top-quality – and relatively young – midfield enforcer.
Can Liverpool tempt Youri Tielemans from Leicester?
Tielemans has yet to commit his future to Leicester – comments made to Sky Sports earlier this month sent a wave of fear rippling through the Foxes’ fanbase – and it’s understood the £40 million signing from Monaco wants to test himself on the Champions League stage sooner rather than later.
Leicester missed out on a seat at Europe’s top table in each of the past two seasons, dropping out of the Champions League places on the last day of 2020/21 and 2019/20.
Klopp put his faith in 18-year-old Elliott rather than invest heavily on a player like Tielemans in the recent transfer window.
But with Elliott now suffering a long-term injury and James Milner not getting any younger, don’t be surprised to see Liverpool at the front of the queue for Tielemans’ signature in 2022.
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