Arsenal to hold talks with defender Kieran Tierney over his future
According to recent reports, Arsenal are set to hold talks with left-back Kieran Tierney over his future. The Scottish defender was loaned for a season to Real Sociedad last summer and is expected to return to the Emirates at the end of the season.
Kieran Tierney left Celtic for Arsenal in 2019 in a deal worth around £25 million. He missed the start of the 2019-20 season due to double hernia surgery. He recovered quickly and consolidated his place in the team with some great performances. However, he suffered a shoulder injury later in the campaign, limiting him to just 25 appearances in all competitions.
In August 2023, the 26-year-old was loaned to Real Sociedad for the entire season. He played brilliantly against Real Madrid and Granada for which he was tagged ‘exquisite’ by boss Imanol Alguacil. Here too, the full-back spent quite a bit of time on the bench, limiting himself to just 26 appearances for the La Liga club.
As reported by Football London, Arsenal are expected to hold talks with Kieran Tierney and discuss his future at the club following his return from his loan spell at Sociedad. The report claims the Gunners are ready to discuss a new deal or consider permanent transfer offers this summer.
The Scot has always been a committed player, putting in excellent performances both in defense and attack. The defender made 124 appearances for the North Londoners, but his time at the Emirates was marred by injuries.
The 26-year-old has suffered a total of 10 injuries over the past few seasons, forcing him to miss 73 games. This also includes two hamstring injuries and an abductor injury he suffered at Real Sociedad this season. The decision whether or not to stay at the Emirates next season will be made after discussing with the player.
“Kieran Tierney says goodbye to Real Sociedad as he returns to Arsenal after a loan spell. #AFC and Tierney will discuss other options for left-back.”
[@FabrizioRomano] #arsenal pic.twitter.com/r93jB8R2CZ
– Arsenal Loans Monitor (@arsenal_loans) May 28, 2024
The Gunners may be willing to offer a new deal, but a permanent transfer is also an option that appears to be the most likely possibility, according to the report. The club’s hierarchy would likely sell if they found a potential offer, especially since the team was in their position.
The north London side have a host of options for the left-back role. Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior are the designated players for this position while Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber are also available to replace him. This certainly pushes him up the pecking order at the Emirates.
Moreover, the Scottish international wants to leave north London permanently this summer. He is looking to play regular first-team football and the club’s abundance of options for the defensive position certainly diminishes the chance of him getting regular game time.
My favorite Kieran Tierney moment was his goal against West Brom. The Ice King ❄️pic.twitter.com/hIMxijPkd1
– Gooner Chris (@ArsenalN7) May 29, 2024
The full-back is well aware of the club’s current situation and his place in the team. Although his contract with Arsenal extends until the summer of 2026, Kieran Tierney is unsure whether he will get the required playing time at the Emirates in the future. Speaking to The Athletic, the left-back said:
“Look at the depth of the team at that position now.
“They have Zinchenko, Timber, Tomiyasu, Kiwior. Four players can play it. So if I go back and it’s like it was before, I’m not stupid, I know there’s a good chance I’ll leave.
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By the end of this summer transfer window, Kieran Tierney’s future at Arsenal will be settled. His recurring injury problems will be one of the key aspects determining his future. Although he is a high quality player, big clubs will not want to gamble on a defender who will be on the sidelines for the majority of the campaign.
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