“Mikel Arteta is a baby coach”: UNHAPPY Arsenal star admit he never play for Gunners again following harsh treatment from the Arsenal Boss – Player wants to leave
Kieran Tierney rules out a return to Arsenal and Mikel Arteta reveals left-back transfer plans
Tierney joins Real Sociedad on a season-long loan after losing his place under Arteta
Oleksandr Zinchenko, the only natural left-back in the squad, is injured
Arteta is ready to find a solution in the transfer market
Kieran Tierney has ruled out the possibility of ending his loan at Real Sociedad and returning to Arsenal this month.
The Scottish left-back joined Sociedad for a season last summer after losing his place at Arsenal to Oleksandr Zinchenko, who was left without a natural left-back in the senior team due to a recent calf injury.
Manager Mikel Arteta has used center-back Jakub Kiwior and right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu to cover on the left, but some fans have urged Arsenal to simply call up Tierney to strengthen their squad for the rest of the season.
When Noticias de Gipuzkoa asked Tierney about this speculation, he confirmed that he would not return to Arsenal prematurely.
“Several people have asked me about it, but the answer is no. I will definitely stay here [in January],” Tierney said. “The Arsenal fans are fantastic, they have always been very supportive. In the four years I’ve been there, I will always be grateful to the fans.”
With Zinchenko injured and Tomiyasu now away from the club for the Asian Cup, Arsenal are understaffed at left-back, and Arteta admitted at Friday’s press conference that signing a new defender is an option.
“We are open to the transfer market, but again the focus is on making the best of what we have,” Arteta told the media. “We will check with the club if we have any options or good options. We will first focus on the players we have.”
Arteta confirmed that one of the “options” is not to sign a new defender.
Tierney’s loan at Sociedad does not include the possibility of a permanent transfer, so the Scot will return to Arsenal in the summer when he has two years left on his contract.
“The decision is not mine,” Tierney said of his long-term future. “All I can say is that I love playing for Real. And I enjoy it very much.”
