KIERAN TIERNEY’S edging closer to an Arsenal exit after Mikel Arteta left the Scotland star out of his match-day squad for today’s big Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest.
SunSport understands the £25 million Scotland star IS fit but simply hasn’t made the cut for Arteta whose decision has sent a clear signal over the defender’s future prospects.
Newcastle United are front-runners for the 26-year-old while Spanish outfit Real Sociedad have also declared their interest.
SunSport revealed that Tierney had left the door open for a sensational return to first club Celtic and boss Brendan Rodgers last month publicly refused to rule out a swoop.
But the Treble winners have yet to make a formal approach to the Gunners with a deal – even a loan for the season – always looking a huge ask given the player’s six-figure weekly salary and likely seven-figure fee just to take him for a season.
Tierney barely featured from the start last term as Arsenal went for the title before fading in the closing stages and Arteta favoured Oleksandr Zinchenko.
Now he’s also added Dutchman Jurrien Timber for £30 million during pre-season and that’s pushed the Scot further down the pecking order.
A move for Tierney over the next fortnight before the transfer window shuts now looks highly likely.
Timber mainly played as a centre-back in Holland but was also utilised at right-back and Mikel Arteta has tried him at left-back in some of Arsenal’s pre-season outings.
But Arteta tried to ensure Tierney he DID have a future in North London.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
