In a recent interview (via Football.London), former Premier League striker Andy Cole urged Manchester City to move in for Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney. Cole said,
“I like Kieran Tierney, he’s had a few problems with injuries but he is talented.
“If Arsenal are prepared to sell him, he would not be struggling for options. If Manchester City are in for him, I could see that working, but he’d be competing with Ben Chilwell who is linked to Manchester City too. Tierney will want to play, and if he doesn’t continue to get any game time, he’ll be looking to go somewhere else in the summer.”
Tierney’s Limited Role At The Emirates Stadium This Season
Tierney has played a sporadic role in Mikel Arteta’s squad this season as he has often found himself behind Oleksandr Zinchenko in Arsenal’s pecking order. The Scotland international has made 29 appearances for the Gunners during this campaign, scoring once and grabbing two assists in various competitions.
The 25-year-old has seen most of his game time come off the bench which could be why he is only averaging 0.6 tackles, 0.5 interceptions and 0.7 clearances per 90 minutes in the Premier League. Still, he deserves credit for being accurate with his ball distribution after making 78.5% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
What Will Tierney Add To Manchester City Boss Pep Guardiola’s Side?
Tierney is a good tackler of the ball and can make a few timely interceptions for his team inside his half. He usually clears his lines when the opposition are on the offensive and can also engineer some inviting chances for his teammates from the left flank. Tierney is primarily a left-back but can also fill in as a centre-back or as a left-sided wide player if required.
The Scottish sensation would no doubt add more depth to Pep Guardiola’s Man City squad. He would help the Mancunian side challenge for even more major silverware in the coming seasons.
At 25, Tierney’s best years are ahead of him as long as he continues to improve with each season. Hence, he will be a decent option for Man City to pursue when the transfer window reopens in the summer.
