Leicester to Sign Young Monaco Star Youri Tielemans on Loan
Leicester City have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Monaco midfielder Youri Tielemans on loan, fighting off late interest from several Premier League clubs.
The 21-year-old is regarded as one of Europe's most exciting young midfielders and has previously attracted interest from the likes of Barcelona, Manchester City and AC Milan. Tielemans also made four appearances for Belgium at last summer's World Cup, as the Red Devils managed to finish third in the competition.
Telegraph journalist John Percy claims that the midfielder will move to Leicester on loan, with Adrien Silva leaving the King Power Stadium to join Monaco for the remainder of the season.
The two players are expected the undergo their respective medicals on Wednesday, with Tielemans set to become Claude Puel's first signing of the window.
Belgian outlet also HLN reports that there is likely to be an option to buy in the loan deal, as the young midfielder is unlikely to feature in returning Monaco manager Leanardo Jardim's plans.
Tielemans made his name as a youngster with Anderlecht, breaking through into the senior team at just 16 years old. Renowned for his ability to dictate the tempo of a game, Tielemans established himself as one of the world's hottest prospects, before securing a €25m move to Monaco in 2017.
However, he struggled to express himself during his first season in Ligue 1. registering just one goals and two assists in 35 appearances. Fortunately for Tielemans, his form has improved this season, as the 21-year-old has managed to find the back of the net on five occasions for a struggling Monaco side.
With his improved form, several Premier League teams were thought to have expressed an interest in Tielemans. Arsenal, West Ham United and Newcastle United have all been linked with a move for the midfielder, while Mauricio Pochettino is also thought to have considering bringing him to Tottenham Hotspur.
Should Tielemans complete his move to Leicester, he will fill the void in the squad left by Silva. The Portuguese midfielder has made just two Premier League appearances all season, seeing a total of just 88 minutes of action.
