"I haven't spoken to him since he came back from the World Cup" – Brendan Rodgers sends Youri Tielemans transfer message amid Arsenal interest

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has issued a transfer warning to Arsenal amid rumors of their interest in Youri Tielemans.

Tielemans, 25, has been an established first-choice midfielder for the Foxes since arriving from Monaco for £35 million in the summer of 2019. He has attained cult hero status at the King Power Stadium after scoring the decisive goal in the 2021 FA Cup final against Chelsea.

A box-to-box operator blessed with passing and shooting, Tielemans has been on the radar of Arsenal since the start of the summer transfer window. With his current contract set to expire next summer, his immediate future at the east Midlands outfit is said to be up in the air.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference, Rodgers heaped praise on Tielemans and claimed that he is content at the club. He said:

"I haven't spoken to him since he came back from the World Cup. It's between him and the club. My focus is on the player. He loves being here, but it's a big contract for him, so he will be taking his time over what he wants to do. He's a joy to work with."

Arsenal, who failed to snap up the Belgian over transfer fee differences earlier this summer, are considered the front-runners in the transfer race despite interest from Juventus and Barcelona. The club are prepared to test Leicester's resolve for the £20 million-rated midfielder in the upcoming winter transfer window, according to Mirror.

Tielemans, who has registered 28 goals and 25 assists in 176 games for the Foxes, is next set to be in action in his team's Premier League home clash against Newcastle United on Monday (December 26).

Arsenal prepared to trigger £44 million release clause of Serie A star: Reports

According to Corriere dello Sport, Arsenal are leading the transfer race to sign AC Milan midfielder Ismael Bennacer. The north London outfit are prepared to meet their former player's release clause, which is only applicable for foreign clubs, in the region of £44 million.

Bennacer, 25, has been a central figure in the middle of the park for the Rossoneri over the past three campaigns. Since arriving from Empoli for a fee of £14 million in 2019, he has helped them lift a Serie A title.

Overall, Bennacer has scored four goals and laid out eight assists in 126 matches across all competitions for the Stefano Pioli-coached side.