Well, transfer windows are referred to as ‘silly season’ in football – and Arsenal might have discovered why.
Because on Wednesday, Arsenal were linked with a move to sign Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans.
According to Goal, the Gunners have even held negotiating with the Belgium international’s agents ahead of a transfer to the Emirates Stadium.
Negotiations seem very advanced for a deal that almost certainly isn’t going to materialise.
And why won’t it materialise? Well, the Foxes are 10 points behind Arsenal with two games in hand and Brendan Rodgers will undeniably know that his outfit’s Champions League qualification prospect hinge on keeping Tielemans.
The former Monaco midfielder, who cost City £40 million in 2019, is a deadly player. Rodgers knows, but so does Pep Guardiola.
Tielemans’ fellow Belgian Vincent Kompany waxed lyrical about the player to the Manchester City manager once upon a time.
In April of last year, Guardiola said: “Tielemans is a top, top class player. I remember when I arrive my first season and Vincent Kompany started speaking about him when he was in the national team for Belgium how good he was in that period.
“Vincent as always he was right.”
Correct
Indeed, Kompany was spot-on in his assessment of Tielemans.
This is a player who could seriously improve Arsenal but, as mentioned, that’ll make Rodgers massively reluctant to strengthen what he could and probably does consider a rival.
Yes, the North Londoners are 10 points clear of the 10th-placed Foxes, but that deficit is only four points if you factor in matches in hand.
Finishing in the top four remains a big ask for City, but it’s impossible without someone like Tielemans and for that reason, he surely isn’t heading to Arsenal.
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