As the seasons change, so too do the dynamics of football teams and the destinies of their players. The recent months have cast a revealing light on the future of Kieran Tierney within Mikel Arteta’s plans at Arsenal for the ongoing season.
The 25-year-old Scottish international, who once occupied a prominent role at left-back for the Gunners, has seen his fortunes shift. The past season saw Tierney slip down the pecking order, with Oleksandr Zinchenko establishing himself as the primary choice in that position. Now, with Zinchenko temporarily absent, the spotlight has turned towards Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu, who have surprisingly been favored over Tierney, but Timber got injured with an ACL in his League debut, and Tomiyasu got sent off last weekend, but I thnk we all know that he will still be on the bench with Zinchenko occupying his role.
While Arteta has voiced his commitment to integrating Tierney into his future plans, actions on the pitch have, at times, contradicted these words. The new campaign has offered glimpses of Tierney’s sidelined status, despite his excellent performances in pre-season, raising questions about the alignment between Arteta’s statements and his tactical decisions.
Amidst these shifts, an intriguing possibility emerges on the horizon, one that could bring Tierney back to his roots. Celtic, his boyhood club, has surfaced as a contender for his signature before the transfer window draws to a close.
Rumours of a potential return have lingered throughout the summer, yet no concrete progress has materialized, although most bookies have Celtic as his most likely destination this summer if he leaves, so there must be some smoke in that fire somewhere. Brendan Rodgers, who once guided Tierney’s development in Glasgow, has refrained from extinguishing the flames of speculation, keeping the door slightly ajar.
Reflecting on his journey, Tierney’s transition from the Hoops to Arsenal in the summer of 2019 marked a significant chapter in his career. The £25 million move signaled his ambition to compete at the highest echelons of English football, making his presence known on the grand stage. However, he arrived with an injury, and his problems continued until last season, so he has mostly been overtaken by Arteta’s new purchasaes and his tactical changes.
Now his place as a starter has diminished maybe we could be presented with the prospect of a homecoming that could reunite him with familiar surroundings and a fanbase that still worships him. There have always been rumours of him missing his family and friends in Scotland while on the treatment table or struggling for his place at Arsenal.
As the transfer window’s minutes tick away, the script for Tierney’s future remains uncertain. While the allure of Celtic’s embrace beckons, the intricate dance of negotiations, desires, and managerial considerations continues.
The facts tell us that Arteta would prefer a direct cash sale, but there is no way his old club would pay Arsenal what they recieved, and with the income in Scottish football it is likely to rule out Celtic even matching the wages he gets at the Emirates, so the only hope for Kieran would be a loan with reduced wages
Whether the stars align to somehow overcome these obstacles so he could return home is debatable, as I am sure there are many Premier League sides that would be willing to take him and his undoubted skills into their teams, but perhaps Arsenal could show compassion and give him a year of regular football at Celtic to make him into a valuable asset which they could cash in on next summer?
Jack Anderson
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