Manchester City report: Pep Guardiola plotting audacious swoop for Arsenal star

Manchester City are reportedly interested in Arsenal's Kieran Tierney as they look to solve their left-back need.

The reigning, back-to-back Premier League champions wanted to sign Marc Cucurella from Brighton earlier in the summer but were unwilling to meet the Seagulls' valuation; the Spaniard ultimately joined Chelsea.

While right-footed Joao Cancelo has more than proven himself as an inverted left-back – a role which he performed brilliantly once again as City began their title defence with an Erling Haaland-inspired 2-0 win at West Ham last Sunday – City lack a left-footed full-back.

That's after Oleksandr Zinchenko left for... Arsenal – who had already signed Gabriel Jesus from City earlier in the the transfer window.

For all of his tactical inventiveness – and while left-footed centre-half Nathan Ake can operate there – Guardiola will surely want to have an out-and-out left-back at his disposal.

According to 90min, City have identified Tierney as one of an array of potential targets.

Tierney – who can also play as the left-sided centre-back in a back three, as he regularly does for Scotland – joined the Gunners from Celtic three years ago in a deal worth a Scottish-record £25m.

It goes without saying that any suitors would have to cough up considerably more than that for the 25-year-old, whose current deal at the Emirates runs until June 2026.

And with City consistent in refusing to pay what they consider over the odds for any player – the Cucurella scenario being a perfect recent example – it's hard to see a move for Tierney getting off the ground, frankly.

Zinchenko lined up at left-back as Arsenal beat Crystal Palace 2-0 in the 2022-23 Premier League curtain-raiser, but the Ukrainian is expected to move into midfield once Tierney – who came off the bench at Selhurst Park – is fit enough to start.