Kieran Tierney’s time at Arsenal could be coming to an end with Newcastle United set to offer him an escape route in the summer.
This season hasn’t been the best for Arsenal’s £25m left-back Kieran Tierney having seen Oleksandr Zinchenko steal his slot in the first-team but the rumour mill has churned out a link to Newcastle for the Scotland international.
He’d be the perfect signing for Eddie Howe in the summer as he looks for more depth in the left-back position. Dan Burn has done a job for the Magpies this season, playing out of position to cover for perpetually-injured Matt Targett, but as Howe looks to build a squad that can maintain a league challenge alongside European football and good cup runs, it’s believed that Burn and Targett are below the required level.
Kieran Tierney then, would be an ideal signing. He has plenty of Premier League experience and wins trophies for fun having collected 13 winners medals in various competitions at Arsenal and Celtic.
A deep-dive into his playing style on The Coaches Voice says that “Tierney offers a real defensive presence – he is strong in the tackle and capable enough in the air despite his relatively small frame. Opponents find him hard to beat and he is particularly successful against left-footed right wingers who attempt to cut infield with the ball.”
MORE NEWCASTLE STORIES
While I don’t watch every Arsenal game, I have seen Tierney play several times and I’ve always been impressed by him and I know I’m not alone with former Gunner, Kevin Campbell calling him “outstanding“. His pace and ability to come away cleanly with the ball always caught my eye. He boasts a perfect record against Newcastle which is reason enough to bring him into the fold – he can’t beat you if he can’t play against you.
Tierney isn’t shy going forward either having racked up an impressive number of goal contributions for a defender. He was more prolific in this regard during his Celtic days accruing 45 contributions in 170 games compared to his 18 in 112 games for Arsenal, but even the Arsenal figures are nothing to be sniffed at.
For me, Tierney ticks too many boxes to be overlooked and even though it’s thought Arsenal want £30m for him, I think we’d be getting a bargain. To have his level of experience and medal count at 25, before he’s hit his peak, is something we can’t afford to let slip by.
It’s believed that Tierney would be open to the move, so hopefully this is one that will happen.