Arsenal Transfer News: Fresh Youri Tielemans Rumours, Latest on Dries Mertens

Arsenal reportedly face a battle with Everton and AS Roma to secure Anderlecht starlet Youri Tielemans, while Napoli's Dries Mertens is said to have met with Manchester United representatives.

According to Tuttomercatoweb (h/t Liverpool Echo), Tielemans is expected to leave Anderlecht during the summer after an impressive 2016-17 campaign, and Roma, Everton and the Gunners are all keeping a close eye on the Belgian.

The 19-year-old has long been regarded as a top talent in midfield, and he's enjoyed a breakout season in a more advanced role with 12 goals in the Belgian league already.

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Tielemans rose to fame as a box-to-box midfielder but Anderlecht took their time developing him into an attacking playmaker, and the switch has paid off. The Belgium international has been a driving force behind their solid season, which had led them to the round of 16 in the UEFA Europa League.

Here's a look at some of his highlights:

Tielemans has steadily added tools to his arsenal in the last few seasons, and his long-range shooting is the latest asset stealing headlines. He seems to score outrageous goals on a weekly basis and is just as confident shooting with his left foot as with his right.

He seems to have learned all he can in Belgium, and at the age of 19, the time seems right for him to move on. Roma would present an odd fit given their wealth of options in midfield, and Tielemans might already be too big a prospect for Everton to have a realistic chance.

Arsenal could use a young starlet like Tielemans both for the present and the future. He'd likely battle for a starting position straight away and has the potential to become one of the best midfielders in the world if he keeps progressing at this rapid rate.

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Compatriot Mertens is also being linked with a Premier League move, and according to Il Mattino (h/t Metro), he met with United officials in a hotel in Naples earlier this week.

Mertens and his entourage have denied the reports, and HLN's Kristof Terreur couldn't confirm the reports:

The 29-year-old has yet to put pen to paper on a new deal, however, leading to even more speculation.

Mertens has been one of Serie A's best stories this season, as the former PSV Eindhoven man has discovered an impressive scoring form since moving into a central role.

The Belgium international has spent most of his career out on the wing, where he was regarded as a serviceable option. Napoli started using him as a striker following the injury to Arkadiusz Milik, however, and the results have been astonishing.

Sports writer Liam Canning shared his admiration of the player:

The hard-working speedster makes great use of his ability to play in space, driving defenders crazy by drifting all over the pitch. He's a confident and opportunistic finisher, but unlike most strikers, he remains unselfish, always opting to pass if a team-mate is in a better position.

Here are some of his highlights.

Mertens seems to love life in Naples and isn't expected to leave the club anytime soon, but his contract negotiations will be key. At the age of 29, he'll likely get to sign one more major extension for top dollar―if Napoli don't offer him the wages he's looking for, the Premier League elites could come into play.

The Belgian's contract expires in 2018.