Mikel Arteta has confirmed a tough decision that will disappoint many Arsenal fans: he has officially removed Kieran Tierney from his plans and ordered his sale by January.
The Arsenal boss explained that he can no longer rely on an injury-prone player, stating, “I can’t be working with injury-prone players all the time.”
Kieran Tierney has been working his way back to full fitness following a severe hamstring injury he sustained while playing for Scotland at the European Championships over the summer.
This injury has hindered his progress and significantly impacted his future at Arsenal.
Had Tierney not suffered that setback, it’s likely that he would already be playing for a different club.
That had been the plan after his loan spell with Real Sociedad last season, where he featured in 26 games.
However, the injury ended any hopes of a summer transfer, forcing Tierney to shift his focus toward regaining full fitness ahead of the January transfer window.
It’s become increasingly clear that Tierney is no longer part of Arteta’s long-term vision for Arsenal.
Tierney himself understands the situation and accepts that the club has evolved beyond his style of play.
There is no bad blood between the player and the manager, as Tierney is aware that his skill set as a traditional left-back doesn’t align with the tactical system Arsenal currently employs.
Despite being removed from Arteta’s future plans, Tierney has been included in Arsenal’s Premier League squad for the season.
This theoretically keeps the door open for him to play once he regains fitness, but the likelihood of him featuring in matches appears slim.
Tierney’s main hope now is to secure a move in January, likely in the form of a loan.
This would allow him to get some much-needed game time before the summer transfer window opens, where he can then pursue a permanent exit from North London.
Several clubs have already shown interest in Tierney.
According to a report from *CaughtOffside* in the summer, teams from both England and Spain had been considering a move for the Scottish left-back, but no deal materialized at the time.
It’s believed that Arsenal would be willing to consider offers in the range of £25 million to £30 million, should a club come forward with a concrete bid.
Tierney joined Arsenal from Celtic in the summer of 2019 for a £25 million transfer fee.
During his time at the club, he has made 124 appearances and played a crucial role in many of Arsenal’s campaigns.
Last season, during his loan spell with Real Sociedad, he gained valuable experience by appearing 26 times for the La Liga side.
While his time at Arsenal has had moments of promise, it’s clear that injuries have held him back from fully realizing his potential with the club.
As the January transfer window approaches, Tierney will be eager to secure a move that allows him to revive his career and get back to playing regularly.
Although his departure from Arsenal now seems inevitable, there’s no doubt that clubs in both England and Spain will be monitoring his progress closely as he works his way back to fitness, hoping to secure the services of a talented, if injury-prone, left-back.
