Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
Sport
Mark White

Arsenal fan favourite set for showdown talks with Mikel Arteta over future, as huge u-turn becomes possible: report

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta during a training session at London Colney on July 04, 2023 in St Albans, England.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is set for showdown talks with one his most senior players over his future.

The Gunners have been busy during the summer transfer window, bringing in Kai Havertz early on and tying up for further deals for Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber. Spending is now at around £200 million, with the north Londoners reaping the rewards of Champions League football while at the same time banishing their  reputation for frugality. 

But exits are expected at the Emirates Stadium this summer – and one of the most adored players in this Arsenal side could yet be granted a transfer away as Arteta recoups cash.

Declan Rice is Arsenal's headline buy at £100m (Image credit: Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)

Football Insider has reported that Kieran Tierney is set to speak to his manager this week as speculation mounts that he could be leaving imminently. There is a chance, however, that his future could be resolved and he would remain a member of the Gunners' squad. 

Tierney joined the club in 2019 under previous manager Unai Emery and has been a stalwart of the Arteta era, despite injury problems. The Scot played as a left-sided centre-back in a back three before moving to full-back when the Basque boss transitioned to a back four, becoming one of the primary sources of creation for the Gunners.

Tierney's struggle with injuries coupled with his uneasiness playing an inverted full-back role convinced Arteta to move for former Manchester City star, Oleksandr Zinchenko. There isn't a natural left-back in the squad quite like Tierney, however, making the chances of him departing seem odd to some fans. 

The 26-year-old started just six times for Arsenal last season – though it could transpire that Arteta still sees him as a valuable member of his squad. The move for Timber enables Arsenal to play with an inverted right-back, meaning that Tierney could once again operate in a back three while Arsenal are in possession.

Arsenal star Kieran Tierney could be leaving the club this summer (Image credit: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Manchester City are all said to have interest in Tierney, whose contract is set to run until 2026. 

According to Transfermarkt, Tierney is valued at €25 million.

More Arsenal stories

Arsenal transfer news is ramping up this summer, with the Gunners set to loosen their wage structure to attract the best players.

Jurrien Timber looks to be next to joinMoises Caicedo is heavily linkedXavi Simons is on the radarIvan Fresneda could join, though Arsenal could sell £100m worth of players, too. Romeo Lavia is in the crosshairs – though Liverpool want him, too

Meanwhile Folarin Balogun is being valued at £50m.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.