Arsenal remain interested in Youri Tielemans but face competition from a Premier League rival...

What's the word?

According to the Express, the Gunners are one of the teams keen on the Leicester City midfielder but Manchester United are one to 'keep an eye on' heading into the final few hours of the January transfer window.

With six months to run on his current £120k-per-week deal at the King Power, the Red Devils are said to be admirers, though the north London outfit are still in the race as they look unlikely to secure a move for the £80m-rated Moises Caicedo.

Better than Jorginho?

It's thought that Arsenal chief Edu Gaspar is closing in on a £12m deal for out-of-contract Chelsea star Jorginho ahead of 11pm this evening but he could be missing a trick by not signing Tielemans, who was valued at around double that (£25m) during the summer.

Just like the Italian, the Belgian international is out of contract in the summer, making him a viable and bargain target in January and given he's still only 25, he'd very much fit the typical profile of player that Mikel Arteta wants in his squad, compared to the 31-year-old.

Once described as a "phenomenon" by former Anderlecht ace Par Zetterberg, Tielemans is a more advanced type of midfielder - very much in the mould of a Thomas Partey or Granit Xhaka, making him an even better alternative as he should have no trouble in slotting in when needed.

Going forward, the Foxes maestro has delivered 28 goals and 25 assists across 184 appearances in the Midlands, via Transfermarkt, whilst he has averaged at least 2.2 tackles and 0.7 interceptions per game in each of the last two (and a half) seasons, per WhoScored.

It is perhaps why talkSPORT pundit Hal Robson-Kanu once hailed Tielemans as the "perfect" signing for the Premier League frontrunners to make.

"I’ve played against him first-hand. He’s a top-four player. His manipulation of the ball, the way he dictates the play, he will move the ball through the lines and receives the ball in tight areas," he said.

"He will penetrate and hurt the opposition from a deeper place. That’s something for Arsenal fans, and the way they want to play, he would have been perfect for them."

Given the evidence above, the Leicester star could well be worth pursuing before the transfer deadline this evening, regardless of Jorginho's likely arrival.

He'd be a far better long-term fit for Arteta and the squad and one capable of making an instant impact, considering his experience and form in recent years.

In bringing Tielemans to the Emirates so late on, Edu could well seal a deadline-day masterclass.

AND in other news, Edu could secure perfect Partey alternative in Arsenal swoop for £26m "special talent"...