If a report from The Scotsman is believed to be accurate, Manchester City are keeping close tabs on Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney. The English champions are keen on adding a left fullback to their squad and have shortlisted the former Celtic defender along with Brighton & Hove Albion’s Marc Cucurella and Wolves youngster Rayan Ait-Nouri.
The Gunners spent £25m to rope in the Scotland international after a blistering spell with the Glasgow giants. He has impressed so far with his attacking expertise and overlapping runs but, at the same time, struggled a bit through injury concerns. Having said that, Tierney has attuned to the grind and demand of the English game over the past three campaigns.
Arsenal, on the other hand, are having a busy summer with multiple signings and contract renewals. They are eyeing a swoop for Ajax’s Lisandro Martinez and a deal for the 24-year-old Argentine might see them accepting a bid for Tierney. However, they have set a valuation of £50m for the 25-year-old, an amount the Skyblues must splash in the coming days to tie down one of their rumoured targets.
Why Manchester City Need A New Left-back
Manchester City have suspended Benjamin Mendy who has been charged with eight counts of rape. The French fullback never found it easy down the left since his mega-money move from Monaco and the gaffer Pep Guardiola mostly relied on Oleksandr Zinchenko and Joao Cancelo as makeshift options. Mendy does not seem to have a future at the Etihad, whereas the growing interest in Zinchenko might lead to the Ukrainian’s exit by the closure of the summer window.
Star-studded Citizens also have Nathan Ake in their ranks. The versatile Dutchman has shown his expertise as a left-back, but is more comfortable centrally having been rotated alongside Ruben Dias, John Stones and Aymeric Laporte. Kyle Walker, 32, is not the same player he used to be a few years back and Cancelo, the Portuguese right fullback, has eventually succeeded the Englishman in recent months.
This leaves a massive void on the left and the club, blessed enough to continue their spending splurge even after the high-profile signing of Erling Haaland, have prioritized a new left fullback with Premier League experience. Tierney has proven his worth for both club and country among all the potential targets and his discipline at the back, along with relentless runs, crosses and cut-insides tick the boxes to fit in Guardiola’s game.
