‘One of the best’: £21m star tipped to join Arsenal from Premier League competitors

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Timothy Castagne could join Arsenal or Manchester United if he thrives at Leicester City, his former technical director at Genk has told One Football.

Foxes fans may bristle at suggestions they are a ‘selling club’ or ‘stepping stone’ but Ben Chilwell’s departure speaks for itself.

Since stunning the footballing world and lifting the Premier League title in 2016, Leicester have sold N’Golo Kante, Danny Drinkwater, Harry Maguire and now Chilwell to a top-flight rival, albeit for eye-watering sums.

It remains to be seen whether Castagne, the new £21 million full-back signed from Atalanta, will adapt to the rigours of English football and catch the eye of some of the biggest clubs in the country.

However, De Conde is confident his one-time Genk star will go from strength to strength under Brendan Rodgers before following Kante and co out the door.

“In modern football there aren’t many players who can bring what he can,” De Conde said of a Belgium international who helped a thrilling Atalanta side reach the Champions League quarter-finals and finish third in Serie A in 2019/20.

“He’s reliable. He has a good basic technique, seldom gives away his position (and) does not lose the ball. (Borussia Dortmund’s Thomas) Meunier is also an excellent player but, because Timothy was trained as a defender, he is more stable defensively.

“I found it more difficult to estimate whether (Youri) Tielemans would live up to it at Leicester at that high pace. He did it.

“With Timothy, I know he will stand out at Leicester. He can become one of the best full-backs in the Premier League.

“And then move on to clubs like Arsenal or Manchester United.”

Funds are tight at Arsenal these days and while Leicester paid more than £20 million for a new full-back, the Gunners snapped up Cedric Soares on a free after Southampton elected not to extend his contract.

So Leicester fans won’t exactly be suffering sleepless nights listening for a knock on their door from Mikel Arteta.

Then again, Castagne’s agent told Tuttomercatoweb on Friday that Arsenal had shown “serious interest” in his client before he put pen to paper with the Foxes.