Arsenal are claimed to have named a leadership group to support new captain Martin Odegaard for the current season, with Kieran Tierney one of the surprise names not including on that list.
The Gunners have started the season in top form, despite some key players such as the Scot yet to return to 100%, but after the club moved to strengthen most areas of the team this summer, we have been able to deal with absentees without fuss.
Oleksandr Zinchenko arrived from Manchester City this summer alongside Gabriel Jesus, and both have made a bright start to life in north London, and both now appear to have demoted Tierney. The Ukrainian could well be our new first-choice at left-back, while the former Celtic captain could well make a push for his place back as he nears full fitness, while Jesus’s arrival has also seen his role as one of the main leaders taken away also.
Mikel Arteta is amongst a host of people to consider KT as a future captain of the club previously, and it was thought that he was the main rival to new captain Odegaard for the armband before the decision was confirmed that the Norwegian would lead us this term, but now he is no longer amongst the top three, after TheAthletic claimed that Granit Xhaka and our new number nine would assist the former Real Madrid midfielder.
It has been mooted that Zinchemko’s arrival would mean that we would be willing to sell Tierney for the right price, and this snub by Arteta could well make the defender consider his role in our side, especially as he is unlikely to be short of offers should he push to leave.
Do you fear that Tierney could be closer to an Arsenal exit than he has been previously?
Patrick