Report: Mikel Arteta is personally telling Arsenal to sign ‘special’ player, just one year left on his contract

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Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is personally driving the club’s interest in Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans this summer.

The Telegraph claim that Arteta is the main force pushing for the deal, but Arsenal are in no rush over getting it done.

The report says that Tielemans wanted to move to a Champions League club this summer, but nobody of that calibre has come forward.

Manchester United are also sniffing around but their interest is described as tentative, which is why Arsenal feel there is no need to hurry.

Arteta driving Tielemans interest

The report also says that Tielemans is reluctant to extend his Leicester contract, which has just one year left to run as it stands.

That raises the prospect of him leaving as a free agent at the end of next season, if this move to Arsenal does not materialise this summer.

Arsenal have pushed ahead with other targets, perhaps secure that Tielemans will not go anywhere meanwhile, and Arteta still seems keen to get it done.

“Youri is a special player,” said former Leicester captain Wes Morgan. “The amount of work he does, off the field and in the gym and the hours he puts in is the reason why he is producing these magical moments.

“He is always the type of player to be doing extra shooting practice at the end of the game. If you keep working hard like that, then it pays off.

“Now you see the best of him. He wants to add goals to his game. Add assists to his game and he is producing that on a weekly basis.”