Pundit and ex-Arsenal player Kevin Campbell has urged Mikel Arteta to keep hold of Kieran Tierney this summer.
Late last month, fellow Premier League club Newcastle United were reported to be planning a bid of around £30 million for the Scottish left-back, according to The Sun.
Both Tierney and Oleksandr Zinchenko have played a similar amount of league games this season, but the Ukrainian has amassed a lot more minutes than his teammate this season.
With talk of the 25-year-old wanting to leave the Gunners this summer, perhaps the reason could be that he wants more opportunities to start week in and week out.
Speaking to the Highbury Squad’s YouTube channel, Campbell claims that Tierney is better defensively than Zinchenko and still has a lot to offer.
He stated, “Kieran Tierney is a much better defender than Zinchenko,
“We have to get ourselves into winning positions. If we can do that, then fair enough, we can bring Tierney on.
“But we have to get playing and into that winning position first. I just don’t think he [Arteta] sees Tierney doing what Zinchenko does. And that’s the issue.
“As a left-back, up and down, Tierney is as good as there is in the Premier League, 100%.
“Unfortunately, the way we are set up, as an attacking side, Zinchenko knows how to play that role with his eyes closed. Kieran Tierney, I think the club should keep him.
“We have seen injuries with Zinchenko. Tierney does have a part to play at Arsenal. I do believe that because next season there are some huge games.”
It’s certainly true that Arsenal will have plenty of important games next season. The Gunners will be in next season’s Champions League campaign, as well as the Premier League next season, plus the additional domestic cup competitions.
However, there’s a high chance that Newcastle will also be in all of the same competitions during the 2023/24 campaign. Tierney may get more of a chance to feature more consistently next season under Eddie Howe.
This summer the left-back will have a big decision to make on his future with the club, he may see the next transfer window as the right time to leave North London.