Kieran Tierney resembles the talent of Virgil van Dijk and can help Arsenal to a top-four finish this season, according to Gordan Strachan.
Arsenal signed the fullback from Celtic this summer for £25m and are close to having him make his debut start for the club.
Strachan managed Tierney as Scotland manager and gave an insight into what the defender could offer. He said, “Kieran is seriously a wonderful kid and his understanding of danger is magnificent. He reminds me of Van Dijk in that way. The first time I watched Virgil and Kieran play, I thought, ‘Are you lucky, or are you brilliant at reading the game?’.
“I’d love to see some analysis on how many times he intercepts or clears the ball in the box. He thinks like a forward, so he understands what they’re going to do.”
Tierney has been recovering from a groin injury all summer and made his debut start for the Arsenal in the U23 division against Nottingham Forest last week. He is still waiting for his senior call-up but might still be a doubt for the Manchester United fixture on Monday.
Arsenal’s aim is to return to the Champions League and gaining that through the Premier League is far more realistic than through the Europa League. Their biggest issues currently might be their defensive setup but Tierney is believed to have a huge impact over the 2019/20 season.
“He’ll certainly help Arsenal get to the top four,” Strachan continued. “He’s more than just a good player — he has incredible spirit, strength, ability, and versatility, he’s perfect for Arsenal.
“He mostly played at left-back or wing-back for Celtic. But he can also play just as well at left centre-back or on the left of a three.”
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