Arsenal star Kieran Tierney is no longer training with the first-team squad, and is expected to depart the club this summer.
The 26-year-old has been linked with Newcastle United and Real Sociedad, but a move has failed to materialise so far, and with Jurrien Timber picking up a long-term injury, there was a chance that he remained at the club.
However, he, alongside other players Arsenal want to sell in the next week, have been training separately from the main squad. Despite Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu both being unavailable for the visit of Fulham on Saturday, it seems that Tierney will still not get a look in, despite featuring off the bench in the Community Shield.
Sky Sports have now reported that Tierney, Rob Holding, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Folarin Balogun are training away from the rest of the players, with all five expected to leave this summer.
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A departure is now inevitable
Tierney was the undisputed first-choice left-back just over a year ago. Since then, he has been usurped in the pecking order by Oleksandr Zinchenko, Timber, Tomiyasu and Jakub Kiwior, and a once key member of the squad has now become a fringe player.
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The Scotland international has a lot of quality but does not suit Mikel Arteta’s system, which requires the left-back to invert and join the midfield.
Despite the injuries within the squad, and the fact that he offers a different variety of tools to the other options, it is clear that Arteta no longer considers Tierney in his plans, and a move looks almost certain before next week’s transfer deadline.
It is unclear where he could end up, but Arsenal will look for a permanent transfer for the former Celtic star, and as one of the most valuable assets up for sale, it may take a substantial fee to land the defender.