Mikel Arteta has been told exactly why Arsenal should do everything it takes to keep Kieran Tierney in the summer. The 25-year-old faces an increasingly uncertain future at the club having spent much of the season on the bench.
Tierney, who sees his contract at the Emirates Stadium expire in 2026, has started just four times for the Gunners in the Premier League this term, with Oleksandr Zinchenko preferred at left-back. The Scotland international has impressed when called upon but Mikel Arteta demands a specific profile of full-back in his backline – a tactical set-up which, in fairness, has launched a title charge.
With Tierney out of favour in north London, he's been heavily linked with an exit. According to The Telegraph, Newcastle United are said to be interested in the Scotsman, who could demand a fee in excess of £30million if he's allowed to leave.
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Whether or not Tierney leaves has divided opinion among some Arsenal supporters. Speaking to SportingPost, former Gunners defender Lauren has insisted that the Scotsman should be retained after proving his quality on the international stage against Spain.
"I don’t see why [Tierney] should go," he said. "If Arsenal don’t need the money, why would you sell him? He’s a very good player. We saw it against Spain in the recent international for Scotland and he played very well.
"He understands the ideas of Arteta now – rather than being in the wide areas, tucking inside and being like another midfield player, receiving the ball from the centre backs and then starting the moves from there. You need everyone and you need Kieran to be in the squad.
"You never know from now, anything can happen with injuries and he needs to be focused and to play the way he is being asked by Arteta. For next year it depends on what he wants. If he wants to be in a team week-in, week-out then it’s his decision. But for Arsenal you need the bigger squad and they should keep him."
Kenny Dalglish has also backed Tierney to stay at Arsenal. Speaking to the Sunday Post, the Liverpool legend said: "Kieran was left out initially because he was injured, and the player who came in for him has done well.
"Mikel Arteta probably decided to sign Zinchenko because he wants Arsenal to play the same way as Manchester City, with the full-backs playing on the inside rather than outside. Zinchenko was taught that way at City, so he is used to it.
"Kieran is not. That does not mean to say Kieran has gone backwards as a player. It is just someone else has been a wee bit better. He will respect where he is, and he will respect the boy got in when he was injured and nicked a step in front of him.
"He would expect to do the same himself. We have seen what Kieran can do in the minutes he has had for them setting up a goal against Crystal Palace last week. Now he is with Scotland and it is a great opportunity for him to put his case forward for Arsenal."
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