Arsenal: Unai Emery tells Mikel Arteta he wants to sign ‘outstanding player’
By Kian Long
Unai Emery has come back to haunt Arsenal once more. Now managing at Aston Villa, the former Gunners boss is eyeing the Gunners’ season intently, but has one keen eye on a player he used to coach himself.
According to the latest report from TEAMtalk, Aston Villa officials have been in contact with Arsenal, informing them they wish to sign Kieran Tierney. They view the left-back as one they wish to see rekindled with Emery, as he would tie perfectly into the Spanish manager’s long-term plans.
At the moment, Kieran Tierney is used as more of a squad player. With the exceptional signing of Oleksandr Zinchenko and the remarkable impact he’s had on the team, it’s hard for Tierney to get a sniff of first-team football. More often than not, he’s only playing in the Europa League.
It’s not a fault of Arteta’s, but Tierney flourished a lot more under Unai Emery. If he were to sign for Aston Villa, it would be a win for all parties involved but none more so than the player himself. Tierney would be guaranteed regular game time at Villa Park, something he can’t be promised at the Emirates Stadium.
Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has described Tierney as an “outstanding player“. He’s right in his valuation – and it’s one which Tierney himself shares.
The Scottish left-back values himself highly enough to be playing in European competition. This isn’t something Aston Villa are aiming to achieve, as they currently sit 11th in the Premier League table. Therefore, this could be a deal-breaker for Tierney.
TEAMtalk suggested in their report that Newcastle were also interested in signing Tierney. This would be a much more likely transfer, since the Magpies are more likely to qualify for Europe and look to be the bigger club heading into the future.
Where do you think Kieran Tierney will be playing next season?