Youri Tielemans will decline a contract renewal with Leicester City – a report in Daily Mail says – with his current deal expiring in June 2023. The midfielder’s stance has reportedly alerted Premier League giants Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal to his availability.
Tielemans wants to continue his career at a club with title aims. His rapidly expiring contract and high ambitions put Leicester in a tough spot; the Foxes will be forced to sell him in the 2022 summer transfer window or risk losing him to a pre-contract to a foreign club six months later – or for free further down the line.
As a consequence, the 2012/21 FA Cup winners have lowered their valuation – while they previously demanded suitors to cough up close to 60 million pounds for the midfielder, they are now looking for a fee in the region of 35 million.
Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal have all been linked with the player in the past. The three could enter a bidding war for the Belgium international should he be made available for transfer in the summer.
Meanwhile, the Premier League trio could face competition from abroad, with European giants Real Madrid and Juventus also keen on the youngster. Additionally, any interested foreign clubs will be allowed to enter a pre-contract agreement with the player starting January 2023 – six months ahead of contract expiry – which the English clubs won’t be allowed to do.
24-year-old Tielemans signed for Leicester on loan in January 2019 from Ligue 1 side AS Monaco. His performances over the next six months compelled the Foxes to break the bank for the Belgian, and they paid 32 million pounds for his permanent transfer. Since joining the Premier League side in 2019, Tielemans has made 135 appearances and scored 23 goals, including the one which won them the 2020/21 FA Cup Final.
