Mikel Arteta confirms exiled Arsenal star is back in squad after over a year away

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has welcomed Kieran Tierney back to the Gunners squad for this week's Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon, but it may not be enough for the defender to save his career at the club.

Scottish defender Tierney was loaned out to Real Sociedad last season after it became clear he was not in Arteta's plans. However, a definitive summer closure became impossible after he suffered an injury during his international duty at the 2024 European Championship.

Despite Arsenal knowing they would be without the former Celtic man for the first few months of the season, they included Tierney in their 25-man Premier League squad and official team photo. He was also one of the players named in the squad for Europe, although he has yet to play in either competition.

Arsenal's visit to Lisbon is perhaps the toughest match of the Champions League stage, with the Primeira Liga leaders unbeaten so far. Arteta confirmed Tierney has traveled to Portugal, but a January departure remains a possibility.

“Everyone in the squad is fully fit and available to start the match,” Arteta told reporters. “We have Kieran Tierney after a long injury. It is great news that he is back. He has been training with the team and is at the level to compete.” .”

Tierney's last appearance for Arsenal came in August 2023, when he played 14 minutes in the Community Shield. Last season he made 24 appearances in La Liga, 14 of them in the starting line-up, but made just two appearances in the Champions League during an injury-affected campaign.

Although injury hampered a summer move, the 27-year-old remains well down the pecking order. He is under contract with Arsenal until the summer of 2026 and admitted in May that he may have to leave permanently to revive his career.

Arsenal have seven points from their first four European games, having failed to score away from home. They drew 0-0 against Atalanta in their opening match and were beaten 1-0 by Inter Milan at San Siro as Hakan Calhanoglou became the first opponent to score against them in this season's Champions League.

Sporting have 10 points and defeated Manchester City 4-1 in their last European tie. Since then, Joao Pereira has taken over from Ruben Amorim in the dugout, but Arteta still expects a tough test from the reigning Portuguese champions.

“I'm going to expect the same [Sporting] because every coach and the coaching staff behind him would have their own ideas,” Arteta added. “We have obviously analyzed what has been done and the things that can be adjusted, and what has been done to be prepared and as much as possible to try to understand.” what we can try to do and especially how we can hurt them. I'm looking forward to that.”