Kieran Tierney says it felt 'great' to play for Arsenal again in the win over Crystal Palace, despite being on the verge of leaving.
The 27-year-old left-back from Scotland spent last season on loan from Real Sociedad in Spain after being deemed surplus to requirements by Mikel Arteta, but was called up in Wednesday evening's thrilling Carabao Cup quarter-final.
His appearance was his 125th in all competitions for the club he joined five years ago and his first since August 2023. Tierney commented to X after the match: “It feels great to be back in the Emirates! Thank you so much for the welcome… always grateful.
But there is unlikely to be much more in store as Arsenal have decided not to activate the option year on Tierney's contract before the January transfer window.
As first reported by The Athletic, this means that Tierney will be free to talk to clubs abroad from January 1. Arsenal could still look to sell him in the upcoming transfer window to prevent him leaving as a free agent next summer. .
He is reported to have no shortage of suitors, including some in England. An emotional return to Celtic could also happen, with the Scottish champions reportedly happy with the idea of bringing Tierney back for a second spell.
Such a move would require Tierney to take a put cut as he currently earns a salary above what Celtic could afford. But that may not be a major problem if the defender is keen to return to Celtic, with whom he previously won four Scottish titles.
Arsenal would still have a plethora of options at left-back if Tierney were given the green light to move on in January, with Oleksandr Zinchenko, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber all playing there this season.
Hale End graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, has also broken through this term and impressed at left-back, propelling Tierney further up the Emirates pecking order.
The teenager was given the nod to replace Tierney against the Eagles when he was withdrawn in the 69th minute, with Arteta revealing the former suffered from cramp after going down shortly before the substitution.
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