Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Simon Collings

Youri Tielemans to Arsenal: Gunners hopes over £30m deal for Leicester star could hinge on Champions League

Arsenal’s hopes of signing Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans could hinge on whether they qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The Gunners have identified Tielemans as one of their top targets as Mikel Arteta plots another big summer in the transfer market.

About to enter the final year of his contract at Leicester, Tielemans has given no indication that he will sign an extension and looks set to leave the King Power Stadium.

That has sparked interest from several clubs including Arsenal, who have made a new midfielder a priority this summer.

Barcelona, Real Madrid and Tottenham have also been keeping tabs on Tielemans over the past year.

Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans is one of Arsenal’s top summer transfer targets (PA)

The 25-year-old is yet to decide his next move but is keen to play in the Champions League, so Arsenal would significantly boost their chances of signing him by securing a top-four spot.

The Gunners are currently fourth and can confirm a place in the Champions League next season if they beat Tottenham in Thursday’s crunch north London derby.

It is thought Tielemans could be available for a fee of around £30million, but that amount could increase if several clubs make concrete offers.

Arsenal are also interested in Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves, who they tracked last summer when it looked like Granit Xhaka could join Roma.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.