Kieran Tierney is back and has been spotted in Arsenal training.
The Scot last played for the Gunners back in August 2023. He came on as a substitute in the Community Shield win against Manchester City.
Tierney then spent a year on loan in Spain at Real Sociedad, where he had a decent campaign. However, injuries once again troubled him there.
Then, the former Celtic man suffered another serious injury in the summer, and that has kept him on the sidelines since – he hasn’t even made the squad.
Arsenal released a video of their training session and fans quickly spotted Tierney involved with the first team at the Sobha Realty Training Centre.
But, there was something about the Scot that surprised many supporters.
What Arsenal fans spotted about Kieran Tierney during Arsenal training
Tierney has been included in Arsenal’s Premier League and Champions League squads despite not being in contention to play over the last few months.
The Scot is behind the likes of Riccardo Calafiori, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jakub Kiwior and even Myles Lewis-Skelly in the pecking order, but it is good to see him back.
However, what has really taken Arsenal fans by surprise is seeing Tierney wearing long sleeves and gloves. The defender always rocked up in shorts and a T-shirt in the past – irrespective of whether it was sunny or snowing outside.
Arsenal supporters have been joking that Tierney has ‘changed’ after a season in Spain.
One Arsenal fan tweeted: “That is NOT Tierney. He would never wear pants and a long-sleeved shirt.”
Another wrote: “Tierney in baselayer, long sleeve and gloves? What’s going on?!”
“Why is he in long sleeves and gloves? This can’t be our Tierney,” said another.
Another Gooner joked: “KT in thermals? Makes me sick how far we have fallen.”
“Long sleeves and leggings? We got the wrong Tierney back,” tweeted another.
Does Kieran Tierney have a future at Arsenal?
If Tierney hadn’t suffered his injury while on international duty with Scotland in the summer, he would’ve probably been sold.
The Scot, sadly, was sidelined, and he remains an Arsenal player now.
As we said earlier, Tierney is nowhere near the top of Arteta’s pecking order at left-back. The fact that he cannot invert as well as the other options in that position makes it very difficult for him to get any opportunities.
However, if both Zinchenko and Kiwior are moved on in the January transfer window, there is a small chance that Arteta will keep hold of Tierney as a backup option for Calafiori.
That remains an extremely unlikely possibility – we expect Tierney to be sold or loaned out right after the winter window opens.
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