Arsenal closing in on £40 million deal for Premier League midfielder: Reports

Arsenal will look to bolster their squad in the summer transfer window and try to add quality talent to multiple positions on the pitch. The attacking and midfield department needs to be reinforced and according to The Sun, the Gunners have made a crucial breakthrough in their pursuit of Leicester City star Youri Tielemans.

The North London club have long been admirers of the Leicester City man, and the British outlet suggests that they are now inching towards agreeing a £40 million deal. The midfielder's entourage are seemingly confident that he will be an Arsenal player next season and the Emirates outfit are positive as well.

Mohamed Elneny has stepped up in the absence of Thomas Partey with crucial performances in midfield alongside Granit Xhaka. However, there is no talk of a contract extension for the Egyptian, who will be a free agent in June. He is likely to depart in search of regular football and hence the Leicester City midfielder will be a valuable addition.

Since joining the Foxes in 2019, Tielemans has been a vital cog in their side. He is great when it comes to controlling the tempo of the game and contributes immensely to his side's build-up play. The Belgian can often put in effective defensive shifts as well.

However, the biggest advantage of having the 25-year old in the Arsenal side for Mikel Arteta will be his goal contributions from midfield. He has scored 24 goals and provided 23 assists in 154 appearances for Leicester City in all competitions.

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Champions League football essential for Arsenal to secure their midfield target

Will Tielemans be playing at Arsenal next season?

The Sun suggests that there will not be any major issues in agreeing personal terms with the Belgian ace, however Champions League football could be a catch. The report claims that should the Gunners fail to finish in the top-four of the Premier League, Real Madrid could swoop in for Tielemans and lure him away.

As things stand, the Gunners are in pole-position to qualify for fourth spot above rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Next week's north London derby will be extremely crucial in deciding which of the two rivals secure Champions League qualification. The Leicester City midfielder is a definite upgrade over both Xhaka and Elneny and could boost Arsenal's chances in England as well as European competitions next season.