Why Arsenal won't sell Tierney to Man City
Stuart Telford
- 12 Aug 2022 09:42 BST
- 3 min read
Manchester City have been linked with a move for Arsenal's Kieran Tierney by the Telegraph newspaper, but the Gunners should hold onto the Scot.
The reason for the link is obvious. Man City are in the market for a left-back having sold Oleksandr Zinchenko to Arsenal for £32 million this summer, and the Ukrainian's arrival would appear to obstruct Tierney's path into the Arsenal first-team.
City missed out on Brighton's Marc Cucurella, meanwhile, seeing the Spaniard instead go to Chelsea in a £62m deal. Tierney - ranked at €45 by Football Transfers' in-house algorithm - might seem like an obvious alternative.
⏪ Time for a Tierney #TBT...
🔜 #UEL pic.twitter.com/eA4Zd208uN— Arsenal (@Arsenal) March 11, 2021
Zinchenko lined up on the left of Arsenal's back four as Mikel Arteta's side opened the season with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace last Friday, while Tierney was subbed on for the Ukrainian with seven minutes left to play.
But Tierney is only a month on from overcoming successful surgery on his knee, and with everyone fully fit at Arsenal there is plenty of space for both in their best XI.
Zinchenko a top midfielder
Zinchenko lines up in midfield for his country, whom he captains in Andriy Yarmolenko's absence, and part of the attraction of moving to the Emirates was that he could get minutes in the middle of the park.
A natural left-footer, he provides balance, and Granit Xhaka's place in the team is precarious at best. Tierney's injury record is a concern, meanwhile, and Zinchenko could prove to be a real steal if he can plug two gaps in the side.
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Tierney in defence with Zinchenko in midfield is viable, and reportedly what Arteta plans to utilise when everyone's fit. With Nuno Tavares leaving on loan to Marseille, Arsenal would suddenly look very light at left-back.
Why would they force themselves back into the market when they have inhouse solutions who might end up the envy of the Premier League?
