Arsenal Left-Back Kieran Tierney mulls summer departure from Club
Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney is contemplating a potential departure from the club this summer, confessing there’s “every chance” he might not return to the Emirates Stadium permanently.
Currently on loan at Real Sociedad in La Liga, Tierney has endured a season marked by injury setbacks, including two hamstring injuries and an adductor issue, sidelining him for 18 games.
“There is every chance,” Tierney told The Athletic when asked if he may have already played his final game for Arsenal.
“Look at the squad depth in that position now.
“They have [Oleksandr] Zinchenko, [Jurrien] Timber, [Takehiro] Tomiyasu, [Jakub] Kiwior. Four players can play there. So if I go back and it’s the same as before then I’m not silly, I know the chances are I’ll be leaving.
“But you never know in football. You get the rare case with [William] Saliba, where he came back after a couple of good seasons (out on loan) but you don’t see it too often with someone who has played for four years, left, and then come back to play again.
“Stranger things have happened. I could go back and there is a place for me. So I’m prepared for both.”
Since his move from Celtic in 2019 for £25 million, Tierney had been a stalwart in Arsenal’s defense until the arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko in 2022.
Despite making 27 Premier League appearances last season, Tierney found himself starting only six times under manager Mikel Arteta, who opted for Zinchenko as the preferred choice.
Tierney, however, harbors no resentment towards Arsenal or Arteta for their decision. He acknowledges the rationale behind the move and asserts that the past two seasons validate the club’s choice.
As he nears his return to action for Sociedad against Barcelona, Tierney’s future remains uncertain, with a potential permanent departure from Arsenal looming large on the horizon.
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