Kieran Tierney has no idea what his Arsenal future holds having been shipped off on loan to Real Sociedad.
The 26-year-old quickly became a fan favourite at the Emirates following his £25million arrival from Celtic in 2019.
But the left-back lost his place in the starting XI to Oleksandr Zinchenko last season due to his inability to play Mikel Arteta’s inverted role.
Takehiro Tomiyasu was also preferred ahead of the Scotsman at times, and with Jakub Kiwior and Jurrien Timber also brought in, the decision was made to send Tierney to Spain.
And it remains to be seen whether Tierney, who still has two years left to run on his contract in north London, will be reintegrated into the squad this summer.
Even the defender is in the dark, as he insisted William Saliba is the only player who has been sent away on loan by Arteta to return as a starter.
Speaking to talkSPORT host Jim White about whether the door will be re-opened for him at Arsenal, Tierney said: “You never know in football.
“It’s probably quite rare that it happens when you come back from a loan.
“Of course you’ve got circumstances like Saliba when they just come back and I don’t think he’s been out the team since – he’s not been on the bench since.
“But it’s maybe a bit different for someone who has played four years already goes back [into the team].
“But you genuinely never know, football is a mad place, so let’s see what happens.”
Tierney also believes that his exit was the right move for both himself and the club in his bid to rediscover his form having fallen down the pecking order.
Last campaign, he was restricted to just six Premier League starts, compared to 22 the previous term in what was an injury-hit season.
Pressed on what led to him being loaned out, he remarked: “It’s hard to put a finger on it.
“But just the way things had developed at Arsenal, the way the team was going and what happened last season with game time.
“It probably worked out best for both parties that I got out, get a new experience – get some game time.
“And when you don’t play, you do lose a bit of your confidence, so to go over here and get that back has been great.”
Listen to the full interview with Kieran Tierney on talkSPORT’s White & Jordan show at 10am on Wednesday!
News Summary:
- Kieran Tierney casts doubt on Arsenal return but William Saliba situation provides hope
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