The togetherness of the Arsenal team has flourished since Mikel Arteta began his reign as Arsenal boss. His ruthless take on the side has seen players leave until the Spaniard has constructed a united group all singing from their manager’s hymn sheet.
To think that Arsenal could sell one of their starting eleven this summer with the club on the rise might seem farfetched, but little is guaranteed in football. Especially when clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona come calling and the Gunners know all too well about losing their top players to the La Liga heavyweights.
Having already seen Nicolas Anelka, Cesc Fabregas and Alex Song leave at crucial moments to Spain, the latest rumours regarding Kieran Tierney will only highlight old wounds that have perhaps not completely healed in the minds of the fans. Yet, this has not stopped The Sunday Post from claiming that Real Madrid chief scout Juni Calafat has sent back a glowing report of the Scot.
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Carlo Ancelotti has admired Tierney since his time with Napoli when he lost the race to sign the then Celtic starlet. It appears that his interest has not waned, and a summer transfer assault could be on the horizon.
In a very timely moment, Tierney was recently being tipped to succeed at the biggest clubs. Compatriot Pat Nevin backed the left-back to fit in at Los Blancos. Words that will surely only frustrate manager Mikel Arteta.
“Kieran’s been linked with Real Madrid, and I’m convinced he would have no problem fitting in there,” said the former Chelsea and Scotland winger.
“He’s good enough to join any club in the world and hit the ground running. Andy Robertson is a fabulous full-back, so I’m not criticising him in any way when I say that Kieran is the better all-round player of the two.
“It’s probably the first time since Kenny Dalglish and Graeme Souness in the 1980s that we’ve had two Scots capable of playing for the best teams around.”
In the worst-case scenario that Arsenal lose their potential captaincy candidate for the 2022/23 season, there is little need to panic. This is a Gunners side in a different era of recruitment to the one that lost its stars in the early 2010s.
Hector Bellerin’s form saw the Spaniard sent to Real Betis on loan and the club spent a shrewd £16.74 million on Takehiro Tomiyasu. The Japanese international arrived from Serie A side Bologna and little was known from the wider fan base. Yet he has become an immediate hit and fan favourite.
Tomiyasu, alongside Aaron Ramsdale, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Martin Odegaard and, importantly, Nuno Tavares have proven quality can be found without spending marquee amounts of money. Tavares is key considering that the left-back has already competed with Tierney for a starting spot, keeping the 24-year-old at bay in the first half of the season.
Tavares has drawn reported interest from Manchester City since his arrival in England but Edu and Arteta could easily find another gem to replace Tierney should he move on. Having signed a new deal last summer, Arsenal could demand a significant fee for Tierney and use the money wisely in the wake of his sale.
Arsenal need not concern themselves with these potential exits, it is part of the game. What previously could have drawn worry now should breed encouragement thanks to the successes shown in the 2021 window.
