‘Really strange’: Pundit says £25m player must now leave Arsenal after what Arteta did this weekend

Add as preferred source on Google

Kris Commons has admitted that he has been left baffled by Kieran Tierney being out of favour at Arsenal, and suggested that a move to Newcastle United may be best for the left-back this summer.

Commons was speaking to the Mail after Kieran Tierney was surprisingly left out of the starting lineup for Saturday’s trip to Nottingham Forest.

Of course, it was a game Arsenal needed to win to stand any chance of stopping Manchester City clinching the title.

Unfortunately for the Gunners, it proved to be a miserable occasion. Arsenal were so poor. And Mikel Arteta arguably has to take a lot of the blame.

Commons baffled as Tierney misses out on Arsenal start

The formation was difficult to pin down. And the decision to seemingly pick Thomas Partey and Jakub Kiwior as the starting full-backs backfired.

There has been speculation Tierney could leave Arsenal for Newcastle this summer. And after Arteta’s decision this past weekend, it is hard to see the Scotland international sticking around.

Certainly, Commons believes that the time has come for Tierney to seek a new challenge.

“With Zinchenko missing at left-back, that should have been a green light for Tierney to start against Nottingham Forest on Saturday night. But Mikel Arteta chose to start Polish youngster Jakub Kiwior instead of Tierney. Signed from Serie A side Spezia in January, Kiwior is a centre-back by trade. But he was picked ahead of Tierney, something which I found pretty perplexing to be honest given that Tierney remains one of the best left-backs in Europe on his day,” he told the Mail.

“He looked like he was going to be a key player in the revolution under Arteta. I find it really strange the way Tierney seems to have fallen out of favour.

“I’ve seen a lot of stories doing the rounds over the past week about how Eddie Howe wants to make Tierney Newcastle’s first choice left-back next season. I think it’s a move which would make a lot of sense and tick a lot of boxes for both the club and the player himself,” he went on to add.

Move now surely best for everyone

Injuries have certainly cost Tierney in his time since his £25 million move to Arsenal. There were times when he was one of the only positives about the team. And before this season, it appeared to be between him and Martin Odegaard in the battle to become the new captain.

He does not suit the system Arteta wants to play, with his left-back drifting in as another midfielder. But there is no question that he is a brilliant defender.

It appears to be best for all if a move is agreed this summer. He can move somewhere where he can become a key player. And Arsenal can secure a decent fee for someone who, unfortunately, does not tick the boxes Arteta needs him to.