Leicester City might be prepared to offer Youri Tielemans a new contract with the same money that is being offered by Arsenal this summer, according to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook.
The 25-year-old has been a key player for the Foxes since his initial loan arrival at the King Power Stadium in January 2019, and the club seem to be intent on keeping him in the East Midlands.
What's the latest Tielemans future?
Tielemans has been courted by Arsenal since January after the midfielder turned down a new deal at Leicester, according to Fabrizio Romano, but there was a suggestion that the Gunners’ participation in this season’s UEFA Champions League was key, and with Mikel Arteta’s side only being able to secure Europa League football this term, a move to the Emirates now seems much less certain for the £49.5m-rated man.
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The Athletic have also now suggested that Arsenal’s interest in the 5 foot 9 man has cooled, increasing the possibility of him staying at the King Power Stadium this summer.
With no midfield arrivals as of yet for Brendan Rodgers’ side, there is a chance that the club would rather offer Tielemans a new deal and secure his future, rather than scramble around for a midfielder in the final weeks of the transfer window.
And Rodgers seems to be happy enough to keep the former Monaco man around, with the club potentially in a position to offer the midfielder a new contract, according to Crook.
What did Crook have to say about Tielemans' Leicester future?
He told GIVEMESPORT: “There's talk they might give him a new contract with the same money that Arsenal were offering, maybe with a release clause in there as well.
“So the longer this one drags on, it has gone quiet, the more I expect him to stay at Leicester, which is good news for them.”
Should Leicester keep Tielemans?
Rodgers will be delighted that there is a possibility that his star midfielder will be staying at the club for another season, with the Anderlecht academy graduate’s stats ranking highly for the last campaign.
The 52-time Belgium international made 50 appearances for the Foxes last term, scoring seven goals and providing five assists in all competitions, according to Transfermarkt.
In terms of progressive players in the middle of the park, he’s as forward thinking as they come, ranking in the top 6% for total shots amongst midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues last season, according to FBref.
The midfield maestro also ranks in the top 12% of midfielders for progressive passes according to the same stats provider, and boasts a SofaScore rating of 7.08 for the previous Premier League campaign, suggesting that he was a consistent performer for the Foxes when called upon last season.
However, despite playing in Leicester’s most consistent period of success in their recent history, Tielemans might feel that now might be the right time to move on from the East Midlands side, and make the move down to London to help Arteta’s side try and break into those Champions League spots next season.