Manchester United have been linked to a daring raid by Youri Tielemans of Leicester City.
The Belgian joined the Midlands club on loan from Monaco in 2019 and proved such a success that he was signed that summer for around £ 35 million.
Tielemans established himself as a key player in Brendan Rogers’ team last season and lived up to his burgeoning reputation by scoring a memorable winning goal in the FA Cup final victory over Chelsea.
It was a fitting end to an excellent campaign for the midfielder, who scored six goals and provided four assists in thirty-eight games. He also swept the board at the annual Leicester City awards ceremony, being named Player of the Season by both his teammates and fans.
However, the Foxes narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification on the final day, meaning the midfielder’s ambition to play at the highest level could be tested by the interest of Premier League rivals United and Liverpool.
Such is the current state of Tielemans that a putative £ 56 million fee would surely guarantee a large number of suitors.
Although the city boss, Rogers, would be extremely reluctant to lose his star artist, Tielemans’ contract expires in 2023, making this summer the best opportunity to recoup a hefty fee for his services.
In March, an extended stay seemed the most likely outcome, as he spoke enthusiastically about his time at King Power Stadium, saying: “It’s going great and I’m having a lot of fun. I feel very comfortable in the team. They welcomed me with open arms ”.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is expected to strengthen his squad over the summer, and various reports suggest he is seeking reinforcements in defense, midfield and attack.
Although speculation has tended to link United with defensive specialists such as West Ham’s Declan Rice, Tielemans is regarded as one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the country.
Indeed, Solskjaer himself has first-hand experience of Tielemans’ undoubted quality, as the midfielder capped off an elegant display with the decisive goal in the FA Cup semi-final between the two teams in April.
However, Solskjaer would compete for the player’s signature, with bitter rivals Liverpool, who also said they were interested. The Anfield squad is believed to see the midfield master as an ideal replacement for outgoing Gini Wijnaldum and would rival United for his signing, should he continue to delay a new contract.
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