Manchester City report: Pep Guardiola plotting audacious swoop for Arsenal star
City have sold two players to the Gunners this summer – could one be heading the other way before the transfer window closes?
Manchester City are reportedly interested in Arsenal's Kieran Tierney as they look to solve their left-back need.
The reigning, back-to-back Premier League champions wanted to sign Marc Cucurella from Brighton earlier in the summer but were unwilling to meet the Seagulls' valuation; the Spaniard ultimately joined Chelsea.
While right-footed Joao Cancelo has more than proven himself as an inverted left-back – a role which he performed brilliantly once again as City began their title defence with an Erling Haaland-inspired 2-0 win at West Ham last Sunday – City lack a left-footed full-back.
That's after Oleksandr Zinchenko left for... Arsenal – who had already signed Gabriel Jesus from City earlier in the the transfer window.
For all of his tactical inventiveness – and while left-footed centre-half Nathan Ake can operate there – Guardiola will surely want to have an out-and-out left-back at his disposal.
According to 90min, City have identified Tierney as one of an array of potential targets.
Tierney – who can also play as the left-sided centre-back in a back three, as he regularly does for Scotland – joined the Gunners from Celtic three years ago in a deal worth a Scottish-record £25m.
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It goes without saying that any suitors would have to cough up considerably more than that for the 25-year-old, whose current deal at the Emirates runs until June 2026.
And with City consistent in refusing to pay what they consider over the odds for any player – the Cucurella scenario being a perfect recent example – it's hard to see a move for Tierney getting off the ground, frankly.
Zinchenko lined up at left-back as Arsenal beat Crystal Palace 2-0 in the 2022-23 Premier League curtain-raiser, but the Ukrainian is expected to move into midfield once Tierney – who came off the bench at Selhurst Park – is fit enough to start.
Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...