Arsenal’s third-choice left-back wants out

Life’s hard. The kids won’t stop asking for McDonald’s - “we’ve got dinner at home” - and the wife hasn’t spoken to you in days because, apparently, Valentine’s roses “from Lidl” just don’t cut the mustard like they used to.

Eugh. On top of that, managing a Premier League side isn’t exactly zen. 

Yet, while this is happening, your third-choice left-back adds to your stress. He basically tells the papers he wants out. 

Who are we talking about? 

In case you hadn’t guessed, it's Kieran Tierney - who’s currently on loan from Arsenal at Real Sociedad. The Scotsman told The Guardian that Oleksandr Zinchenko suits Arteta’s style of play better than his own.

Why? Because the idea of a left-back tucking into central midfield is “alien” to him.

At the same time, he’s also “loving” his football at Real Sociedad - and it looks like the Scottish international is pushing for a permanent move to Spain.

You can’t blame him

He wasn’t enjoying football at Arsenal. Apart from all the injuries, there was this memorable pandemic football classic… 

And ever since the arrival of Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior, Tierney’s spot in the squad looks less than secure. He can’t play the technical role in midfield that Arteta wants, but at least he admits it.

It also doesn’t take a meteorologist to say that the weather is better in Donostia-San Sebastian. (And before you ask - yup - I had to Google where Real Sociedad was.) 

Real Sociedad are already considering a £30 million deal for Tierney next summer as he continues to impress in La Liga, per Teamtalk. 

So, as Arteta looks to pinch a few players from Sociedad this summer - Martin Zubimendi, the main target - it doesn’t look like Tierney will make his way back to the Emirates.