KIERAN TIERNEY has been linked with a loan return to Celtic this summer.
SunSport understands Arsenal have indeed received an enquiry to take the Scotland star away from the Emirates for a season – but it’s NOT from Celtic.
GettyKieran Tierney could leave Arsenal in the coming weeks[/caption]
Tierney came on as a sub in the Gunners’ Community Shield win over Man City on penalties at the weekend.
And making an impact from the bench might be the best he can hope for this season, with Oleksandr Zinchenko still ahead of him on the depth chart at left-back and Jurrien Timber welcomed in from Ajax last month in a £34million deal.
Timber mainly played as a centre-back in Holland but was also utilised at right-back and Mikel Arteta has tried him at left-back in some of Arsenal’s pre-season outings.
But Arteta tried to ensure Tierney he DID have a future in North London.
Even before Timber’s arrival however, Tierney was being linked with a move to Newcastle with a view to him ensuring he would get regular first team football, week-in, week-out.
The Toon were long-considered the favourites to sign him though Aston Villa emerged as contenders too, with current boss Unai Emery being the man who brought Tierney to the Premier League in the first place back in 2019.
Then SunSport revealed that Tierney wouldn’t say no to Celtic if they came in with an offer to bring him back to Glasgow on a one-year rental.
But the Hoops have competition on that front and may be pipped to the full-back’s services.
Real Sociedad have made an enquiry about the 26-year-old and it’s understood the Spanish club have actually been monitoring the defender all summer.
Sociedad, who finished fourth in La Liga last season, hope Tierney can strengthen their squad ahead of their first foray into the Champions League for 10 years.
And as a rather bizarre side-plot, should the move go ahead, it would see Tierney link up with a former Rangers flop: Umar Sadiq.
The Nigerian striker never convinced at Ibrox whilst on loan from Roma but he impressed enough during subsequent spells at Partizan Belgrade and Almeria to earn himself a £17million move to the Anoeta Stadium.
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