Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has made a decisive move regarding the future of defender Kieran Tierney, indicating no intention to reintegrate the player into the squad.
Arteta has transformed Arsenal from a struggling team into one of the world’s top football clubs over the past few years. To continue this upward trajectory, he aims to refine the squad further, which involves offloading some current players to bring in superior talent.
Tierney joined Arsenal from Celtic in the summer of 2019 for £25 million, quickly becoming a fan favourite and one of the team’s standout defenders. However, the arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City in 2022 shifted the dynamics. Arteta’s tactical preference for an inverted full-back system significantly limited Tierney’s playing time.
However according to a report from The Sunday Post in Scotland, Arsenal are now willing to listen to offers of around £10million for Kieran Tierney this summer. It represents a significant loss on what they paid for the left-back in 2019.
At the beginning of last season, Tierney moved to Real Sociedad on a season-long loan, performing well but not enough to change Arteta’s plans. Reports from TeamTalk now reveal that Arteta is adamant about not giving Tierney another chance at Arsenal for the upcoming season.
Despite his potential to be one of the Premier League’s top left-backs, Tierney’s tenure at Arsenal has been marred by frequent injuries. The Scotland international’s injury record is concerning, missing 19 games in each of his first two seasons and 17 in the following season for both club and country. Even during his loan spell at Real Sociedad in the 2023/24 campaign, Tierney missed 21 games across all competitions.
Tierney’s persistent injury issues have prevented him from securing a stable position in the squad, overshadowing his undeniable talent and contributions when fit. As a traditional full-back, Tierney excels with his speed, overlapping runs, and exceptional crossing ability, making his inability to stay fit a significant setback for both him and the club.
With two years remaining on his Arsenal contract, Tierney’s future now appears to lie away from the Emirates.
