As Arsenal navigate a period of defensive uncertainty, particularly with Oleksandr Zinchenko’s injury, Kieran Tierney has stated unequivocally that he will not be returning early from his loan spell at Real Sociedad, addressing the speculation head-on.
Oleksandr Zinchenko‘s calf issue has highlighted Arsenal‘s defensive concerns, leading to speculation about Kieran Tierney’s potential early return from his loan at Real Sociedad.
However the 26-year-old left-back, has clarified that he does not plan to return to Arsenal this month, despite the ongoing speculation.
Having moved to Spain last summer to regain his form, Tierney has been active in Real Sociedad’s lineup, featuring in eight La Liga matches and two Champions League games, even though he missed nine games due to a hamstring injury.
In response to the rumours, Tierney firmly stated in a recent interview, “Several people have already asked me if I was going to return to Arsenal now and the answer is no. I’m going to stay here for sure.
“As for staying here longer, the decision is not mine. But the only thing I can say is that I love playing for Real. And I’m enjoying it very much.
“Everything is fine with him [Mikel Arteta]. Last year I didn’t play and spent a lot of time on the bench. But this is football, I have no problem with it. I had almost no injuries, I played about 30 games, many coming off the bench, but I felt fine.
“Everyone knows that the Premier League has much more money. All clubs competing in that league can buy footballers for €30 million. That’s the big difference. But when it comes to quality, I don’t think agree about the difference between the leagues, I think La Liga has extraordinary footballers.
“The atmosphere here is incredible. In England, there are also very good atmospheres and I don’t want to speak badly about the Premier League because it is a great league, the fans are great. But if people saw La Liga more they would realise that it is an incredible tournament and so are the fans. If you go to play against Osasuna, you see their fans cheering like crazy. Or in Cadiz. And when we play at home, the fans behind the goals don’t stop singing…it’s great.”
This declaration from Tierney comes amid reports from The Express suggesting that Arsenal might consider recalling Tierney due to their defensive issues.
However, the reliability of these claims were rightfully questioned at the time given The Express’s poor reputation.
Mikel Arteta is currently dealing with Zinchenko’s injury, which the manager highlighted after the match against Fulham, “We don’t know. He felt something in his calf. We will scan him tomorrow and see how far he’s going to miss games.”
In the absence of Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior started that 2-1 defeat against Fulham, later being substituted for Takehiro Tomiyasu, who will now miss four to six weeks due to his participation in the AFC Asian Games with Japan.
Additionally, Tierney, in his interview with a San Sebastian newspaper, expressed his enduring affection for Celtic, drawing parallels to local San Sebastian players at Real Sociedad. “I signed for Celtic at seven years old. I will always be Celtic. Always, always,” he said, highlighting his lifelong connection to the club.