“He would add real quality” – Paul Robinson urges Tottenham to hijack deal for ‘top player’ linked with Arsenal

Former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes Spurs should join and beat Arsenal in the race to sign Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans. The Belgian's contract expires in 2023.

Reports suggest he is keen to join the Gunners if they qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League. However, manager Mikel Arteta's side are two points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with one game to play.

Tielemans has been a key player for Leicester since arriving in 2019, scoring the winner in their FA Cup final win over Chelsea last season. The Belgian has enjoyed an impressive 2021-22 campaign, scoring six goals and providing four assists in 31 Premier League games.

Robinson believes the 25-year-old would be an upgrade on Pierre-Emile Hojberg at Spurs. He thinks Tielemans could have a similar impact as Rodrigo Bentancur, who has been a revelation since arriving from Juventus in January.

"He is a top player. A player that I really admire. He would add real quality to that Tottenham squad. When you look at what (Rodrigo) Bentancur has brought to the squad, somebody like Tielemans would be perfect for that midfield," Robinson told Football Insider.

He added:

"Hojberg is a very good player, but he's not of that top level that Spurs require. If they want to be regulars in the top four, they need to upgrade that position. I think Tielemans would add more quality."

Tottenham's fortunes have vastly improved since Antonio Conte took over the reins in November, climbing up to fourth place. So Spurs will look to provide him the funds to sign top-quality players like Tielemans, who could be available for a bargain price, as his contract expires next year.

Failure to beat Tottenham to top four could impact Arsenal's summer transfer business

Leading Spurs by four points, Arsenal needed a win in the north London derby on May 12. However, a 3-0 humbling allowed Spurs to close the gap to just one point.

Tottenham then won 1-0 at Burnley on Sunday, while Arsenal stumbled 2-0 at Newcastle United on Monday to cede fourth place. Conte's men are now two points ahead of Arteta's side and in pole position to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League. They'll confirm that by beating Burnley on the last day.

The Gunners cannot qualify for the Champions League unless they beat relegation-threatened Everton and Burnley beat Spurs. If Spurs draw that game, Arsenal will have to overturn a +15 goal difference, which looks improbable.

Failure to qualify for Europe's elite competition will mean the Gunners might not land their top transfer targets, which could scupper their impressive development under Arteta. The Gunners have improved under the Spanish tactician, but they could struggle to go to the next level unless they add some top-quality players this summer.