Sources: Arsenal plan for Kieran Tierney revealed after new development
Arsenal are ready to part with left-back Kieran Tierney in the final weeks of the summer window, sources have told Football Insider.
The 26-year-old was absent from the matchday squad as the Gunners ran out 2-1 winners against Nottingham Forest on Saturday (12 August).
A well-placed source has told Football Insider that Tierney was in fact fully fit despite his omission – with Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu both preferred to play in a left-back role.
Timber was withdrawn with an injury during the win – with some reports suggesting it could be an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
However, Oleksandr Zinchenko is stepping up his return from a layoff of his own – and could make the squad for this week’s clash with Crystal Palace.
As such, Tierney could be sold or loaned out in the final weeks of the window with Arsenal needing to balance the books due to financial fair play constraints.
The Gunners have sealed big-money deals for Timber, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz so far this summer.
Game time was hard to come by for Tierney in the 2022-23 campaign as a result of injury issues and the arrival of Zinchenko from Man City – a left-back who is more suited to Arteta’s style.
He notched one goal and two assists in 36 appearances across all competitions this term, but started in just 15 of those outings.
The Scotland international, who can also play as a centre-back as part of a back three, has racked up five goals and 14 assists in 124 total games for Arsenal.
He joined the club from Celtic in 2019 for a reported fee of £25million.
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