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Tielemans explains Leicester decision

Cape Town - Belgium international Youri Tielemans says "it was clear" to him that he wanted to seal a return to Leicester City despite reported interest from Manchester United and Tottenham.

Both United and Tottenham were heavily linked with the 22-year-old, who impressed in 13 games on loan with the Foxes last season.

Only last month Belgian outlet HLN reported that Tielemans was a genuine target for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who is seeking a midfield replacement for Ander Herrera.

But Tielemans decided instead to sign a four-year contract at the King Power Stadium after signing for a fee in the region £40 million.

Reports had claimed the player did not want to wait around for United to make an official bid to his then-club Monaco, but speaking for the first time, the player has broken his silence on why he opted for a transfer to the King Power Stadium.

"I gave myself some time to think about it but after the international break it was clear to me I wanted to come [to Leicester]," said Tielemans.

"The second part of the season went very well for me and the team and I wanted to keep playing at a positive club with a lot of ambition and potential.

"I wanted to make pre-season with the club I was going to play for next season which is why we got the deal done and I'm really happy to be here."

The capture of the Belgium midfielder was also something of a feather in the cap for Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers, who was understandably beaming at the transfer.

"I'm delighted that Youri has chosen to be part of Leicester City's journey," Rodgers said.

"It's an incredibly exciting time for this football club and to be able to bring players of Youri's quality here is an indication of the hunger for success we have here.

"Youri fit brilliantly into the squad last season, he's already shown that he's capable of making an impact in the Premier League and he adds another option to an incredibly talented group of players here at Leicester City."

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