Arsenal’s pursuit of Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans has been aided as the Foxes seek a replacement for the Belgium international.
Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar has been identified as a potential target for Brendan Rodgers’ side this summer.
The Frenchman has previously been linked with Arsenal, but it is believed that manager Mikel Arteta has shifted his focus to Tielamans.
The Leicester midfielder’s contract at the King Power Stadium expires in less than a year. While the Foxes want to avoid losing the 25-year-old for free next summer, they are sticking to their £30 million asking price.
The former Monaco star has made 120 Premier League appearances for Rodgers’ side and has secured a starting spot in Belgian coach Roberto Martinez’s squad ahead of the World Cup.
The Gunners have signed Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Fabio Vieria during the summer transfer window. Both of the latter can fit into the Gunners’ engine room, but Arteta is still keen on bringing Tielemans to north London.
The Belgian’s path to the Emirates has been paved after Foot Mercato reported that Leicester are interested in signing Aouar.
The Lyon playmaker also has a year left on his contract at the Groupama Stadium and has piqued the interest of a number of European clubs, including Leicester City and Premier League newcomers Nottingham Forest.
The Frenchman scored 10 goals in 35 Ligue 1 appearances for Lyon last season, as Peter Bosz’s team finished eighth and missed out on European football.
Rodgers’ side have yet to sign a player this summer, but they are hoping that a move for Aouar will kickstart their transfer window.
Odegaard: ‘I have to do it my way’
Newly appointed captain Martin Odegaard believes Arsenal will use last season’s disappointment of finishing outside the top four to our advantage in 2022/23, returning ‘hungry and ready.’
Odegaard also discussed his pride in taking the captain’s armband full-time, how the new signings are settling in, the challenge posed by Palace in the opener, and how he tried to persuade his compatriot Erling Haaland to join him at the Emirates.
When asked if he feels any pressure on taking on the captaincy role at Arsenal, he said:
“I don’t feel any special pressure with it. Obviously there’s a little bit more responsibility, but I think I will do a lot of the same things. I always try to do my best for the team. I’m not going to change too much just because it’s a permanent thing now.
“I will do the same things and obviously when he wants me to be the captain I’ve done something right so keep going in that direction, maybe learn and grow a bit with time. But I have to do it my way and that’s what I will try to do. I enjoy the responsibility and hopefully, I can do it in a good way.”
