Former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has said that Kieran Tierney will come back stronger despite suffering a season-ending knee injury. The Scottish full-back was ruled out of Monday’s trip to Crystal Palace with the problem, although it was not at the time confirmed how serious the injury was.
The Gunners, though, have since announced that Tierney is set to undergo surgery to repair the problem, with the procedure likely to rule him out for the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign.
A club statement read: "Assessments and scans have confirmed that Kieran has damaged his left knee. A specialist consultation took place on Tuesday, and as a result of further discussions with Kieran and our medical team, it has been decided that Kieran requires surgery to his knee. This procedure will take place in London in the forthcoming days.
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"Kieran’s rehabilitation programme will start immediately after his surgery, at which stage a clearer understanding will be established on his recovery timescale. However, it is likely that Kieran will now miss the remainder of this season. Everyone at the club will now be supporting and working hard with Kieran to get him back on the pitch as soon as possible."
The news is likely to be hugely disappointing to both Tierney and Arsenal - the Scottish defender hoping to play a part in the club’s return to the Champions League over the next couple of months.
The former Celtic defender would also have played a key role in Scotland's bid to reach the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998, with a play-off game to come against Ukraine in June, followed by a final tie against Wales if they win that to decide who will earn a place at Qatar 2022.
However, Wilshere, who himself endured horrendous luck with injuries during his time with the Gunners, has sent a message of support to Tierney. Taking to his Instagram story with an image of the pair in training, he wrote: “Come back stronger mate. You know where I am.”
Having spent time training with Arsenal alongside Tierney, Wilshere is now plying his trade with Danish side Aarhus. The 30-year-old has made five appearances thus far and notched an assist in his last league game - a 1-1 draw against Viborg FF.
