Arsenal’s biggest transfer headache is a fan favourite

Robin Bairner

26 Apr 2024 07:35 BST
3 min read

Arsenal have been dealt an unexpected problem ahead of the summer transfer window, with an injury to Kieran Tierney threatening to complicate the sale of the Scotland international left-back.

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Tierney was loaned to Real Sociedad last summer after falling out of favour with Mikel Arteta in something of a shock move. After arriving at the Emirates Stadium in 2019, he had quickly established himself as a favourite of the fans due to his tenacity and work ethic.

Ultimately, though, Arteta’s ideas moved in a different direction, with first Oleksandr Zinchenko and then Jakub Kiwior arriving to displace the Scot.

Many felt he was luckless to be pushed away from North London, but he has fared little better in Spain.

The 26-year-old has been beset by injury problems, which plagued his Arsenal career, while in San Sebastian, suffering repeated hamstring issues that have restricted him to 23 appearances across all competitions.

He may just have played his last game for the La Liga side, too, with El Chiringuito reporting that he has sustained an adductor problem that threatens to keep him out of action for the remainder of the season and jeopardises the prospect of a permanent move to La Real.

Current ETV

Kieran Tierney

D (CL), M (L)

Real Sociedad

Kieran Tierney

D (CL), M (L)

Real Sociedad

ETV Range

€16.2M - €27.1M

Tierney's injury curse strikes again

Tierney’s extensive injury problems threaten to disrupt his sale. Though a player that many Premier League clubs would love as their starting left-back when fit, he has been unable to play more than 30 league matches in eight of his nine full seasons as a professional.

A player who once had an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €64 million has now seen that price plummet to €22m off the back of these concerns.

© IMAGO - Tierney with Robin Le Normand and Martin Zubimendi at Real Sociedad

Arsenal, though, will want to sell given that Tierney still has two years left on his contract at the Emirates. The Gunners face the threat of his transfer value collapsing further if they cannot broker a permanent deal this summer.

The alternative is another loan, yet if the full-back’s body continues to play up as it has done over the last season there is the possibility that another temporary move could do more harm than good to Tierney’s price.

What happens now is unclear. It is vital for Tierney, though, that Arsenal make the right call.