Mikel Arteta pushing for Arsenal to make £25m bid for Youri Tielemans

Mikel Arteta is pushing Arsenal to make an opening £25 million bid for Youri Tielemans, the Leicester midfielder.

Arteta has identified Tielemans as one of his leading summer targets, with the Arsenal manager making a number of background checks on the Belgium international.

Tielemans has one year left on his Leicester contract and, ideally, wants to play in the Champions League next season.

Arsenal finished fifth to secure a place in the Europa League but it is understood Tielemans and his representatives are now open to the prospect of playing in that competition.

Tielemans, 25, has been watched consistently this season by Arsenal’s head of UK scouting James Ellis, who was at the King Power Stadium on Sunday for Leicester’s 4-1 win over Southampton.

Arteta believes Tielemans has the qualities and versatility to flourish in the midfield position Arsenal are prioritising this summer.

With just over 12 months left on Tielemans’ contract, Leicester will seek a significant fee and could even demand a price of over £30 million.

The sale of Tielemans could be crucial to Brendan Rodgers’s hopes of strengthening his own squad, with Leicester keen to raise funds by offloading players.

Though negotiations over a new contract with Tielemans have stalled for over a year, his conduct and professionalism has been exemplary.

He will not push for a move and, at this stage, Leicester have not received any official contact from Arsenal. Liverpool and Manchester United have shown interest in recent years but he is not believed to be a priority now.

Signed from Monaco for a club record fee of £32 million in July 2019, Tielemans has been a key player under Rodgers and scored last season’s winning goal in the FA Cup final against Chelsea.

Last week, Rodgers said: “The problem, because of the gossip and speculation around it, it shines a light on him [Tielemans].

“For me, he’s still the same guy, his professionalism is first-class. That’s why I always play him.

“He makes passes in the team that not many can make. He fights for the team and that’s the type of person he is.

"He’s maybe not played to the top of his level sometimes but his commitment, his training every day, and his preparation shows he’s a top-class professional.”