Journalist Ryan Taylor has claimed that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is not fully on board with Kieran Tierney as a player.
The Scotsman joined the Gunners from Celtic back in 2019 for £25 million (Sky Sports). He became an instant fan favourite at the Emirates, and almost every Arsenal supporter still adores him.
However, there’s a good chance Tierney could leave this summer.
Mikel Arteta is not fully on board with Arsenal star Kieran Tierney as a player
Tierney is one of the best left-backs in the Premier League when he’s fit. The £110,000-a-week (Spotrac) Scotsman’s crossing is up there with the very best in the country, and he’s a very solid defender too.
However, he has fallen down the pecking order at Arsenal following Oleksandr Zinchenko‘s arrival from Manchester City last summer.
The Ukrainian is one of the biggest reasons why Arsenal are on top of the league table. His ability on the ball and the positions he takes up in the build-up make him one of the first names on Arteta’s team sheet every single week.
That has limited Tierney to just two starts in 2023 – both of which came in the FA Cup. Taylor believes he could leave this summer because Arteta doesn’t quite fancy him anymore.
He told GiveMeSport: “I do think it may be time at the end of the season for Kieran Tierney to move on.
“Because, ultimately, I don’t think Arteta is fully on board with him as a player. I feel like he likes his attitude, but at the same time even when fit he’s not been fancied.
“So I think that’s telling.”
Our View:
We don’t think Arteta has any problems with Tierney as a player, it’s just that Zinchenko is far more suited to the Arsenal boss’ current system.
Tierney is an old-school left-back who thrives on the flank. If his job is to bomb forward on the left wing, combine with the wide player on that side and swing in crosses, there are very few players better than him.
However, he isn’t quite at his best when he’s asked to play like Zinchenko, who grew up playing in midfield.
Tierney definitely has a future at Arsenal if he’s open to playing as a backup to Zinchenko, but it won’t surprise us at all if he wants to go elsewhere and play every game. We’re sure Gunners supporters will wish him well if that happens.
