Arsenal are prepared to let a player depart the Emirates Stadium to a rival, as Mikel Arteta changes his mind on his side
(Image credit: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal are ready to offload a player that Mikel Arteta previously claimed was a part of his plans.
The Gunners began their season with a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest but looked far from comfortable in the closing stages of the game after the Reds came back into the game via a Taiwo Awoniyi goal on the break. Arsenal picked up what looked like a bad knock to Jurrien Timber, too, with the Dutchman forced off clutching his knee.
Arteta could opt to sell a potential backup to the new signing though, with 33 senior stars in his current squad.
Arsenal got off to winning ways on Matchday 1 – but not without questions over the squad (Image credit: Clive Mason/Getty Images)
The Telegraph have reported that Newcastle United want Gunners full-back Kieran Tierney on loan for the season, after the Scot was omitted from the squad entirely at the weekend.
Tierney moved to Arsenal for £25 million in 2019 under former boss Unai Emery and has previously been a key figure at the Emirates Stadium. Injuries have meant that he's not been reliably available, however, with Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jakub Kiwior and now Timber all available as options at left-back.
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Should Tierney move, it would mark a change of heart with Arteta's plans, since the Basque boss has previously stated that the Isle of Man-born defender is still of value to him.
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"He is, he is in our plans," Arteta said before the season started. "Every time he's played in pre-season, he's been really good. This is why we want to create competition in the team, raise the level of each individual and that's going to be a huge benefit for the team to get to another level."
Kieran Tierney could depart Arsenal in the coming weeks (Image credit: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal would prefer to sell to Newcastle – but would still be strengthening a title rival, following the Toon's 5-1 smashing of Aston Villa on the opening weekend of the season.
Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
