A Gunners hero has pinpointed Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta’s intention for Kieran Tierney, despite committing to join Celtic this summer.
Brendan Rodgers made no secret of the club’s efforts to re-sign their academy graduate during the winter transfer window. Tierney, who joined Arsenal from Parkhead in 2019, had previously committed to a pre-contract with his former club, but his new employers prevented him from returning home early.
That left Celtic scurrying for a deadline-day replacement in Jeffrey Schlupp, who is on loan from Crystal Palace until the end of the season. Bacary Sagna, a Gunners icon, likes Tierney and says he understands why Arteta wants the Scotland international to remain in and around his group for a few more months.
The former full-back believes the Spaniard wants to preserve a core group of players who understand the demands of battling at Arsenal in pursuit of the Premier League title. Sagna told Great Offshore Sports Books: “He’s a good player.” He started playing for Celtic at an early age.
“He’s an experienced player, and you want to be able to have a competitive team, so retaining him on the roster makes sense. Arsenal’s decision to keep him indicates that they believe in him. Arsenal now has players that are doing well in Tierney’s position, making it difficult to replace them.
“Timber is one among them, as is Calafiori. They’re doing well, so the competition is fierce, and it’s difficult for him to get any game time, but you never know, he might be called upon at a critical point in the season. Anything might happen.
“I hope Arsenal avoids injuries, but given how many they’ve had this season, it makes sense to retain Tierney in the squad. They must prepare for a scenario in which he may be needed to play in one or two games.
“Personally, I appreciate the player, his ability to defend, and his attacking style. He’s a good player, and I believe Mikel is aiming to maintain a squad of players capable of competing until the conclusion of the season.
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