Mikel Arteta has made a statement about Kieran Tierney’s future at Arsenal.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has spoken out about where Kieran Tierney stands in his plans at Arsenal.
Tierney has been heavily linked with moves away from the Emirates Stadium throughout this summer transfer window. However, a suitable offer has not yet materialised.
One of his mooted destinations, Newcastle United, now seems like an unlikely option for the left-back, as the Magpies are closing in on a deal to sign Chelsea’s Lewis Hall.
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As far as Arteta is concerned, the Scottish defender still has a role to play for the Gunners. As quoted by the Evening Standard, the Spanish coach today said that, “he played the [Community Shield], no? So, a player that played five days before in the final is part of the plans, for sure.”
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Tierney has a chance to prove his worth at Arsenal
Whilst Tierney did indeed play a role from the bench against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium, he was left out of the match-day squad entirely for Arsenal’s first Premier League game of the season.
Against Nottingham Forest, though, the man playing left-back for Arsenal that day, summer signing Jurrien Timber, sustained an ACL injury which will sideline him for the majority of the campaign.
Such a devastating injury blow may well have forced Arteta to reconsider his stance on Tierney, and bring the 26-year-old back into his plans as a matter of necessity.
Tierney lost his place in the Arsenal starting XI to Oleksandr Zinchenko last season. However, the Ukrainian himself has an unreliable fitness record. Timber’s absence looks to have opened the door for the 39-cap Scotland international to reclaim his place in the team.
Arteta certainly wants to see that kind of fight put up by Tierney. He said that he “hopes” that the full-back was disappointed by his omission against Nottingham Forest, as “we’re going to need everybody, and everybody is going to be important. The numbers that we have in the squad, especially in those positions are more limited now, so everybody has to be ready.”