Monaco midfielder Youri Tielemans has revealed that he rejected the chance to sign for Arsenal before making a move to the French champions from Anderlecht this summer.
Twitter: Monaco midfielder Youri Tielemans claims he rejected the chance to move to Arsenal this summer. #AFC #ASMonaco (@SportsPeteO)
The Belgium international is thought to be one of the best young players in the world after impressing in his time in the Belgian top flight with Anderlecht and signed for Monaco this summer to replace the departing Tiemoue Bakayoko, who moved to Chelsea.
He says he thought the Monaco move would be better for him than the chance of joining Arsenal (quotes via the Evening Standard) —
I had to be honest with myself and take a look at the midfielders Arsenal have got. They are top-class players. I knew that I would not get many first-team chances with them, so I didn’t give any more thought to joining them.
Their management wanted to keep the same group of players together in order to finish high in the Premier League.
Tielemans, 20, has already made 191 senior appearances in his career, all of them in top-flight European football and the Champions League and Europa League.
The Belgian midfielder is a busy player with good pace and agility as well as a keen eye for goal.
