Kieran Tierney has made 125 appearances since joining from Celtic in 2019
Injuries have plagued him lately and he limped off versus Crystal Palace tonight
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By SAM LAWLEY
Published: 19:11 EST, 18 December 2024 | Updated: 19:11 EST, 18 December 2024
Kieran Tierney is reportedly set to leave Arsenal after six years at the club following the decision of bosses not to give him a new deal.
The Scot joined the Gunners in 2019 from Celtic after coming through the ranks at his boyhood club.
The left-back settled into the Emirates nicely, making 27 Premier League appearances in the 2020-21 season, 22 in the 2021-22 campaign and 27 the following year.
But he was sent on loan to Real Sociedad last season as Mikel Arteta looked to take his side to the next level, favouring the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior instead.
This season has been plagued by a hamstring injury picked up in the opening match of his country's Euro 2024 campaign. He returned to the bench last month and even started Wednesday's EFL Cup win over Crystal Palace but went off with another knock.
Now Tierney's exit from the club looks to be nearing, with Arsenal chiefs turning down the chance to extend his contract by another year, The Athletic's David Ornstein reports.
Kieran Tierney's time at Arsenal is coming to an end after the club did not extend his deal
The left-back made a return from injury in the Gunners' 3-2 win over Crystal Palace
But he ended up lasting just 69 minutes and being forced off injured once again on Wednesday
The 27-year-old's deal is up in June and the date for the Gunners to add an extra 12 months to his stint has passed.
This leaves the Scot free to negotiate with foreign sides from January with the possibility of an immediate move.
There is interest from English clubs as well as the romantic option of a return to Celtic to reunite with his old team.
His stint in Spain is also believed to have opened up potential links there.
Tierney won his 125th appearance for Arsenal in Wednesday's 3-2 win over Crystal Palace but was replaced by Arteta on 69 minutes.
In that time, the full-back has bagged five goals and set up 13 for his team-mates. He won the FA Cup at the end of his first season with the club.
The Gunners survived a late scare against the Eagles in the EFL Cup to march on in the tournament after Gabriel Jesus ended a 10-month goal drought with a spectacular hat-trick.
The visitors had shocked Mikel Arteta's men early in the encounter, who were heavily changed from their Premier League stalemate against Everton, scoring within three minutes through Jean-Philippe Mateta who slotted home a ball over the top.
Gabriel Jesus bagged a hat-trick in the EFL Cup clash after a late Eddie Nketiah strike
Tierney (pictured, with Hector Bellerin) lifted the FA Cup in his first season at the club in 2020
He suffered an injury setback in the summer, trudging off in Scotland's Euro 2024 opener
After a drab opening period, the Spaniard then brought on the big guns. Captain Martin Odegaard and centre back William Saliba entered the fray to try to turn things around.
The changes worked. Dean Henderson was forced into an outstanding save from a close-range Sterling effort before the Englishman fired onto the crossbar.
But minutes later their frustrations were ended when Odegaard slipped Jesus through and the Brazilian chipped the ball over the keeper.
He was similarly clinical as he gave Arsenal the lead having been found by the subbed-on Bukayo Saka, before completing his hat-trick after a pinpoint Odegaard pass. Former Gunners striker Eddie Nketiah grabbed a consolation with a header.
Kieran TierneyArsenal