Kieran Tierney has become a key part of Mikel Arteta's Arsenal revolution. But the left-back's form has not gone unnoticed elsewhere, with Real Madrid reportedly interested in the defender.
Tierney was signed from Celtic in the summer of 2019 for just under £25 million and has gone on to make 87 appearances since. With Arsenal eyeing a return to the Champions League, he has been a key cog in an impressive defence alongside Gabriel Magalhaes, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
The Sunday Post report that Carlo Ancelotti is now eager to sign Tierney, however, and is preparing a £50million move after his chief scout had his head turned while compiling a report on Bukayo Saka. They also indicate that Barcelona hold an interest in the player as well.
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But Arsenal no doubt hold plenty of bargaining power. It was only in the summer of 2021 that Tierney put pen to paper on a new five-year deal at the Emirates, expressing his joy at the agreement two years.
"I think the vision of the club and where it wants to go, the expectations of the club is where I want to be in football, at the top," Tierney told the club website shortly after signing the new deal. "There's no doubt about it that we're not where we want to be just now but we're going in the right direction.
"The way the club is run from the inside is amazing, I love everyone - all the staff, the players, the manager and working with them is an absolute joy. So being happy in life speaks for a lot and I am happy and more than happy to commit my future."
While Tierney is clearly very happy at Arsenal, it is also apparent that the club will have to continue matching his ambition to keep him satisfied with life at the Emirates Stadium. The Scotland international wants to be "at the top", something Real Madrid could immediately offer. If the Gunners' trajectory takes a dip, it will be interesting to revisit his thinking.
