Kieran Tierney will not force Arsenal exit this summer

Kieran Tierney has insisted he’s happy at Arsenal and will not force an exit from the club this summer.

Once a key figure for Mikel Arteta, the arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko last summer and the subsequent introduction of an inverted full-back saw Tierney thrust to the periphery. The Scot played just 776 Premier League minutes last season despite making 27 appearances in the competition as Zinchenko swiflty emerged as an undroppable figure.

A great proportion of Tierney’s minutes arrived in the various cup competitions, but he often looked uncomfortable performing Zinchenko’s unique role; a function the former Celtic man admitted was “all new” to him.

“I’ve done it for the last year. I’m learning it,” Tierney said about the role, “Alex is the prime example of how to do it so if you’re going to learn off anyone, it would be Zinchenko.

“I had never played in the centre of the park before. It wasn’t somewhere I ventured in very often before, so it makes you a better player learning,” he added.

Tierney has featured in Arsenal’s three pre-season games thus far, performing a more natural left-back function and looking much more comfortable. However, it remains to be seen just how many opportunities he’ll be offered should he remain at the club next season.

Kieran Tierney will not force Arsenal exit this summer

Tierney’s reduced role meant he was seen as a prime candidate for a departure this summer. Considering his talent but limitations in the inverted role, Arsenal could’ve parted ways with the 26-year-old, whom the club signed for £25m in 2019, this summer and perhaps made a profit.

The likes of Newcastle and Aston Villa were linked with a move, but nothing has come close to materialising and Tierney has said he’s content staying in north London.

“My future is not really up to me. I’m happy here, I’m working hard every day and getting minutes. I’m just trying to do as well as I can.

“No, I have not had conversations with Mikel Arteta. You can’t play every single game, every single season, every single year. I don’t expect that and I still made a lot of appearances last year.”

Zinchenko’s current absence has seen the likes of Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Jakub Kiwior utilised down the left flank, with the latter emerging as an option for the inverted role. The addition of Jurrien Timber could change the dynamic of Arsenal’s backline, especially when Zinchenko’s missing, but, for now, all Tierney can do is keep his head down and hope his work this summer pays off.

However, given the Gunners’ array of left-back options, it’d seem logical to move Tierney on if a suitable offer arrives before the end of the transfer window.