Leicester City has been trying desperately hard to tie Youri Tielemans down to a new long-term contract at the King Power Stadium but to no avail.
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The future of Leicester City’s Belgian midfield sensation Youri Tielemans is firmly up in the air. The Foxes’ hierarchy has been trying desperately hard to tie Tielemans down to a new long-term contract at the King Power Stadium but to no avail. The 24-year-old, who joined the East Midlands club in 2019 from Monaco in a deal reportedly worth GBP 32m, is said to have attracted interest from Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
There is no doubt that Tielemans is a player that many Foxes supporters adore. He wrote his name in the Leicester City history books by scoring the winning goal in their 2021 FA Cup final win over Chelsea. It was the first-time City had won the FA Cup in the club’s history. It is the first major trophy secured since their miraculous Premier League title in 2016.
Nevertheless, there is no room for sentiment in modern-day football. As the clock ticks down from 18 to 12 months left on the Belgian’s contract, Leicester will be acutely aware that they risk losing him for nothing in the summer of 2023.
There has been a feeling on the King Power terraces that Tielemans’ head has not been fully focused on first-team affairs of late. He made an uncharacteristic individual error deep into added time which gifted Tottenham a late 3-2 victory in the league. As a result, Brendan Rodgers’ men find themselves in tenth place. European qualification is virtually impossible for 2022/23 virtually impossible from here on in.
Rodgers admitted in a recent press conference that he is “always having to” plan for life without integral players such as Tielemans. He acknowledged that the Belgian is “at a stage” in his career and contract where he “has to ensure he looks at every option”. Although Rodgers may publicly accept this, he will know full well that the club risks getting no return on their investment unless he is sold this month or during this summer’s window.
Although Rodgers said he “would love” Tielemans’ long-term future to be at Leicester, he added that if the club is to “lose one” of its key players it must “be ready for the next one to come in”.
One of the most exciting options for Leicester and Rodgers could be the acquisition of Napoli midfielder Fabian Ruiz. The 25-year-old Spaniard could be a stylish replacement for Tielemans, although the Foxes would certainly have plenty of Premier League competition for his signature. Manchester United has cast envious glances towards Naples in recent months, although their primary focus is acquiring West Ham’s Declan Rice. Leicester could swoop in for Ruiz with the proceeds of Tielemans’ sale this month or in the summer. According to Transfermarkt, the market value of Ruiz is GBP 49.5m.
Rodger may also be tempted to look at the Belgium squad for another midfield option. Experienced midfielder Axel Witsel may be a decent short-term option for a season or two.
Witsel has a wealth of European experience and is currently impressing at Borussia Dortmund since returning from a brief spell in the Chinese Super League. At 33, he’s by no means one for the future, but the deep-lying midfielder still has plenty in the tank.
Leicester and Rodgers may also be prepared to take a punt on one of the hottest midfield talents in the Championship. The likes of James Maddison proved themselves in the second tier before lighting up the top flight, so there’s no reason why they could not return to snap up the Championship’s elite.
Sheffield United’s talented holding midfielder Sander Berge could be an option if the Blades look unlikely to bounce back to the Premier League in 2022. The Norwegian international is one of the most valuable prospects in the second tier. Meanwhile, Danish international midfielder Philip Billing could also be lured from promotion contenders AFC Bournemouth.
Billing’s stock has risen significantly this term, given transfer interest from other Premier League clubs at the start of the season. Seven goals and five assists in 22 Championship starts is a fantastic return from the first half of the campaign.
