Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has insisted that Gunners starlet Kieran Tierney could return to the first team soon.
According to the north London outfit’s official website, the Spaniard insisted in his latest pre-match press conference that the left-back could return to action ‘soon’ for the Gunners.
The Gunners play Portsmouth in the 5th Round of the FA Cup on Monday night and Arteta has been buoyant about the return of several players including the young defender.
Tierney has been sidelined with a shoulder injury since before Christmas and hasn’t featured for the Gunners since then.
Here’s what Arteta had to say on the Scotsman’s recovery from injury:
“He is much closer. He is evolving really well. He feels fit. He feels confident now. He’s doing the stuff with contact, so hopefully we can have him soon.”
When asked whether Tierney could return for the Gunners on Monday night, Arteta remained coy:
“As soon as, I don’t know when! Whenever we decide.”
As it currently stands, the FA Cup is the only competition Arsenal are in where they stand a chance of winning any silverware this season and the club will hope to have their sidelined players including Tierney back in contention for their 5th Round FA Cup clash against Portsmouth.
The club are adrift in 10th place in the Premier League going into their next league game against Man City and find themselves 8 points behind fourth placed London rivals Chelsea.