Arsenal now 'trying to negotiate' for 'top-class' star; as well as Jesus - journalist

Edu and the rest of his recruitment team stunned supporters last week when they announced a £34.2m deal for Porto midfielder Fabio Vieira but many were left to wonder what that meant for long-term target Tielemans.

Bailey listed the Gunners among a host of Premier League clubs interested in the Belgian back in February and GOAL’s Arsenal correspondent Charles Watts admits he sees the north London club despite Vieira’s arrival.

That is despite claims made by Sky Sports that said their interest in the 25-year-old had cooled and that he is now more likely to pen a contract extension at the King Power Stadium with his current deal expiring at the end of the season.

However, Bailey is of the same impression as Watts but did agree that a move has fallen flat at present.

“Youri Tielemans has been talking to Arsenal. That one’s stalled a little bit whilst Arsenal are doing others. I still expect Tielemans to go, I think they’re probably trying to negotiate the fee down even further.”

Interestingly, this isn’t the only deal that Arsenal are looking to complete as a deal has been agreed in principle for Gabriel Jesus.

At the end of March, The Telegraph revealed that the Foxes would be willing to accept a £25m fee for their midfield maestro six years in from their club-record £40m transfer of a player dubbed one of the best midfielders on the continent by his current manager Brendan Rodgers.

Pep Guardiola also waxed lyrical about the 52-cap Belgium ace labelling him a “top, top-class player” and even with Vieira you would expect him to slot straight into Mikel Arteta’s midfield given his experience in the English top-flight amassing 119 appearances and for such a low figure nowadays he would offer serious value for money.

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