According to reports in England, Aston Villa are eyeing a summer move Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney. Villa manager Unai Emery is looking for reinforcements and has identified the Scottish defender, who is currently on loan at Real Sociedad, as a possible candidate.
Kieran Tierney signed for the North Londoners in the summer of 2019. The full-back was a regular of the starting XI and became an instant fan-favourite at the Emirates due to his resilience and commitment. However, he suffered a season-ending injury in April 2022.
Mikel Arteta had to bring in Oleksandr Zinchenko as his replacement and the Ukrainian made the left-back spot his own, so much so that Tierney failed to displace him on his return. The Scotsman moved to Real Sociedad last summer on a season-long loan to gain regular playing time.
Now, according to The Sun, Aston Villa are interested in signing Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney and are planning a move in the summer. The defender seems to have realised that he is not a part of Mikel Arteta’s future plans and a move away from the Emirates might be the right choice.
Villa manager Unai Emery is keen on reuniting with the former Celtic man. The two worked together when the Spaniard was the manager at Arsenal. Emery is close to bringing Champions League football back to Villa Park for the first time in 42 years and is already looking for reinforcements to bolster his squad next summer.
Meanwhile, the North London side are competing for the Premier League title this season and are very strong contenders. Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior are right up there competing for the left-back spot and the Scotsman has very little scope to displace them.
🚨Aston Villa, Celtic are lineup summer move for 26y/o Scotland — Arsenal left back Kieran Tierney. #AVFC #CelticFC
Tierney on loan at #RealSociedad until end of the season, Spanish club hope to keep him.
Tierney not in Arteta plan. #Arsenal
Gunner review €30m tag. pic.twitter.com/eUcCy47kKj
— All Transfer (@Allfcbtransfer) March 5, 2024
Moreover, he has managed to feature in only 13 games in La Liga this season (stats via Transfermarkt) due to his injury concerns. Nonetheless, despite his injuries, Kieran Tierney has turned up in perfect form whenever available and this has attracted the interest of multiple clubs, with Aston Villa being one of the suitors.
Although the full-back has a somewhat diminutive physique, he has a true defensive presence. He is strong in the tackle and has adequate aerial ability. Additionally, the Scotsman is a highly committed player and certainly has the quality to become a star.
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When going forward, Tierney is difficult for opponents to stop, and defensively, he excels at stopping right-wingers who are left-footed and try to cut infield with the ball. In addition, he plays with good positional awareness allowing him to cover and shield the central defender who plays next to him.
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