Manchester City are reportedly interested in signing Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney this summer, according to former Manchester United striker Andy Cole. Tierney has started just four Premier League matches this season and has been mainly used as a substitute after falling behind Oleksandr Zinchenko in the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium.
Despite his lack of game time, Tierney has been identified as a potential future captain of Arsenal by former defender Martin Keown. Keown said, “Under his management, I believe Kieran Tierney has been the standout player who could fulfil that role.” However, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has preferred to use fullbacks in a more inverted role, which has seen Tierney’s playing time diminish.
Zinchenko was signed by Arsenal from City for £32 million last summer and has since established himself as one of the stars of the season. Tierney, on the other hand, has been left weighing up his options, with Newcastle United believed to be leading the race to sign him. However, top European sides have also been alerted to the 25-year-old’s situation, and Cole believes that City could be a potential destination.
Cole told King Casino Bonus, "If Manchester City are in for him, I could see that working, but he'd be competing with Ben Chilwell, who is linked to Manchester City too. Tierney will want to play, and if he doesn't continue to get any game time, he'll be looking to go somewhere else in the summer."
City are expected to be in the market for defensive reinforcements on the left in the summer, with Nathan Ake currently being deployed in an unfavoured left-back role after Joao Cancelo was loaned out to Bayern Munich in January. If Tierney were to join City, he would have to compete with Chilwell for the left-back spot.
Despite his lack of playing time this season, Tierney has been regarded as a talented player with strong defensive abilities and a desire to push forward. His leadership qualities have also been praised by former Arsenal defender Keown. However, Arteta’s preferred style of play has seen Tierney fall out of favour, and it remains to be seen if he will be able to regain his place in the team.
If Tierney were to leave Arsenal, it would be a blow to the Gunners, who have struggled defensively this season. With Aubameyang having been offloaded, Tierney had been identified as a potential future captain of the club, but his lack of playing time has seen him become a fringe player.
Tierney’s departure would also be a blow to Arsenal’s ambitions of returning to the top four of the Premier League. The Gunners currently sit in eighth place in the table, nine points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. Arteta will be looking to bolster his squad in the summer transfer window to improve the team’s chances of returning to the top four next season.
In conclusion, Tierney’s potential departure from Arsenal this summer would be a significant loss to the Gunners. The 25-year-old has been regarded as a talented player with strong defensive abilities and a desire to push forward, and his leadership qualities have been praised by former Arsenal defender Keown. However, his lack of playing time has seen him fall out of favour under Arteta, and it remains to be seen if he will be able to regain his place in the team. If he were to join Manchester City, he would have to compete with Chilwell for the left-back spot. City are expected to be in the market for defensive reinforcements on the left in the summer, and Tierney could be a good option for them.
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April 04, 2023
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