Arsenal star Kieran Tierney looks set to leave the club this summer after holding talks with manager Mikel Arteta about a switch, if recent reports are to be believed. The defender has struggled for game time this season, often playing in cup matches rather than in the Premier League.
The arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko saw Arteta move towards using inverted full-backs, pushing the defender into midfield to become a part of the build-up. Tierney's skillset is different though, often looking to cause opposition issues with width and attacking the spaces on the flanks.
The manager refused to rule out a possible exit for Tierney back in February, stating: "I don’t know, I’m not thinking about that. I’m thinking about what’s best for the team and the players who earn the right to play minutes, that they all deserve. We’re going to try and do that in the next couple of games."
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The lack of subsequent minutes then added further questions to the future of Tierney, who was once one of the first names on the team sheet. According to the Times, the Scotland international is set for an exit this summer after holding talks with the manager about his next steps.
There is interest in his services too as Newcastle have previously been linked, but so too have Aston Villa, with Unai Emery now monitoring his former player. With both teams in Europe next season, there will be an emphasis on signing quality options for their squads.
In Tierney, Arsenal have just that and with the two teams showing interest in the 25-year-old, there's a boost from the fact there could be a bidding war come from it. If that's the case, the Gunners may end up driving a higher price for the defender, who looks set to call time on his career at the Emirates Stadium.
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