Arsenal’s interest in adding Leicester City and Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans to Mikel Arteta’s squad at the Emirates Stadium “hasn’t gone away”, according to CBS reporter Ben Jacobs.

The 25-year-old has now entered the final six months of his £120k-per-week contract at the King Power Stadium and will be available on a free transfer if he doesn’t sign an extension before the summer.

Arsenal transfer news – Youri Tielemans

According to Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers (via Football.London), there has been “no movement whatsoever” on talks about extending Tielemans’ contract with the Foxes.

Football.London has reported that Arsenal agreed on personal terms with Tielemans last summer, but a move for the Belgian international is yet to materialise, with the north London club potentially preferring to snap the midfielder up on a free at the end of his contract.

Back in December, journalist Sacha Tavolieri stated that the Gunners were in negotiations with the Leicester star ahead of the January transfer window, but there have been no suggestions in the following weeks that a deal is any closer to being completed this month.

Jacobs has recently told GiveMeSport that Newcastle United are also considering a move for Tielemans, which may give Arsenal something to think about in their bid to acquire the midfielder’s services.

And Jacobs believes that the Magpies’ interest gives the Gunners a decision to make this month.

What has Jacobs said about Arsenal and Tielemans?

Jacobs told GiveMeSport: “It's very interesting because we know that Arsenal's interest in Tielemans hasn't gone away. The price just hasn’t been right for them historically. So, it would be logical that they would wait for him on a free transfer.

“But if a club like Newcastle choose to come calling, it changes the dynamic and it forces Arsenal to make a decision. Are they prepared to pay a fee for Tielemans? If not, they would have to wait and see whether or not he would go elsewhere mid-season or wait for them to come calling when he's available on a free transfer.”

Would Tielemans be a good signing for Arsenal?

On the surface, Tielemans would seem to be the ideal signing for Arteta at the Emirates either in January or the summer, with three of the club’s four senior holding midfielders aged between 29 and 30 at the time of writing.

At the age of 25, the 58-time Belgium international would offer the club an experienced but younger option in the middle of the park, in what would seem to be a sensible-sounding transfer for the Gunners.

Tielemans has made 138 appearances in four years at Leicester, hitting the back of the net 21 times and providing 20 assists according to Transfermarkt, showing that he can provide a decent goal output from centre midfield.

In an ideal world, Arsenal would be able to wait it out and snap up the signing of Tielemans for free this summer, but Newcastle’s reported interest may force the north London side’s hand into a January transfer.

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