Alan Smith says Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans ‘would improve any side’ after the Belgium international was linked with a move to Arsenal this summer.
The Gunners are looking to bring in a new central midfielder after struggling to cover the absences of Thomas Partey last season, who was injured for the run-in.
Meanwhile, reports suggest Tielemans, who has just a year left on his contract, could be available for a bargain fee of around £25million.
Smith, the former Arsenal striker, believes the Belgian would be a good signing for his former side who are aiming to finish in the top four next season.
Speaking to BookiesBonuses, he said: ‘It feels to me like they have already said their goodbyes. I would imagine he will definitely move this summer. I can’t imagine they will wait until next summer and lose him on a free. I think he’ll go.
‘Arsenal looks perhaps the most likely but we’ll wait and see. He has done ever so well for Leicester. This last campaign was flat but it was for a lot of players there.
‘He is a really good player and he will improve any side, I think.’
Since arriving at Leicester from Monaco in 2019, Tielemans has made over 150 appearances and scored 24 goals.
Between 2020 and 2021 he played a significant role in his side’s back-to-back fifth place finishes in the Premier League and scored the winning goal in last year’s FA Cup final win over Chelsea at Wembley.
Mikel Arteta is keen to sign the 25-year-old as he looks to bolster his squad ahead of the club’s return to the Europa League next season.
The Spaniard has said Arsenal will need to manage their resources this summer and Tielemans, with his reasonable price tag, would represent an astute addition.
Arteta is also thought to want a striker and centre-back in the transfer window with Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus a top target.
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