Arsenal: Kieran Tierney agrees new 5-year contract

Kieran Tierney, everyone’s future pick for Arsenal captain, is close to signing a new five-year contract with the Gunners after agreeing to the terms with the club after Edu sent a proposal to the board for the Scot to sign.

Said to be happy in London since his £25m move from Celtic two summers ago, the news is quite frankly one of the best pieces of business that will come out of the club all summer. A firm fan favourite, all the talk of potential £60m player signings and money accrued from player departures takes a backseat.

Tying Tierney down to a new contract is up there among the most vital steps to ensuring this squad rebuild is tackled judiciously. Restructuring the entire outlook of the team, only a select few ‘untouchables’ remain and the left-back is one of them.

As per Sam Dean, the 24-year-old has already agreed to a new five-year deal and will put pen to paper in the coming days, presumably after Scotland’s Euro 2020 adventure comes to an end. Despite still having three years left on his current deal, this is the club recognising what a wonderful talent they have and it’s just rewards for some outstanding form.

Kieran Tierney agrees to sign new 5-year Arsenal contract extension in summer transfer window

Due to be part of the new ‘leadership group‘ at the club for next season, it’s widely agreed that once Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang departs Arsenal that Tierney should be given the armband. In truth, there is a strong chance that he will.

"“I think he can be Arsenal captain as he has the respect and admiration of every member of the staff and every player,” Arteta said of the Scotsman.“It is just the way he is. He does it in a natural way. He is a really shy boy as well but he represents all of us in the club; all of the values that we want to instill and are in the DNA in this club.”"

Off the back of Arsenal rejecting a derisory £25m bid for Emile Smith Rowe from Aston Villa and insisting the Hale Ender will be going nowhere, it further strengthens the young core developing under Arteta that the rest of the team will be built around.

Bukayo Saka and Smith Rowe are joined by Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel, a group that undoubtedly includes Tierney. It’s felt within the club that his appointment at captain is somewhat inevitable.

After the torrid season Arsenal had last term, the likes of the left-back and Saka, for example, would surely not be adverse to departing. They’re too good for eighth place Premier League finishes thus getting these long-term contracts sewn up quickly is utterly imperative.

This is fabulous news and a huge step in the right direction.