Kieran Tierney: 'I don't know if I will play for Arsenal again'

The Scotland international was an instant hit at the Emirates after joining from Celtic in the summer of 2019, where he would fill the void left by the long-serving Nacho Monreal.

Tierney proved his value to Mikel Arteta when fit, but injuries have hampered the defender's time in North London, and he fell below Oleksandr Zinchenko in the pecking order for the 2022-23 season.

With Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jakub Kiwior and new signing Jurrien Timber - currently out with an ACL problem - also capable of playing at left-back, Tierney departed for Sociedad on loan for the 2023-24 campaign.

The 26-year-old's injury woes have reared their ugly heads again during his time in Spain, where he has set up one goal in 16 matches across all competitions, but he has earned 10 La Liga starts under Imanol Alguacil when available.

Sociedad do not possess an option or obligation to sign Tierney on a permanent deal, meaning that the Scotsman is due to return to Arsenal - where he is under contract until 2026 - this summer.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Tierney confessed that he was not sure what the future held for him in North London but spoke of his admiration for Sociedad, whom he has vowed to repay for their "faith" in him.

"It's hard to say. I loved my time there and I still have two years on the contract. I am very grateful to Arsenal. I don't know what's going to happen but I am absolutely loving it here," Tierney said.

"I feel I have adapted quite well and I hope I can return the faith the club have shown. This is a very, very talented squad with world-class players and so many have come from the academy. It's an amazing story."

Tierney arrived at the Emirates during the Unai Emery era and flaunted his qualities as an overlapping full-back, but Zinchenko's ability to invert and break the lines has seen the Ukrainian become Arteta's first-choice left-back.

As a result, Tierney only started six Premier League games in 2022-23, and after coming on as a substitute in last year's Community Shield win over Manchester City, he failed to make the squad for Premier League matches against Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Crystal Palace at the start of the current term.

The Scotland international struggled to get to grips with playing as an inverted full-back, adding: "At Arsenal the left back can be one of the most central players in the team. If it's Oleksandr Zinchenko then he is one of the biggest creators from a central position.

"When that got introduced it was alien to me. I had never played centre midfield, I started as a winger. I was trying to learn that when I was at Arsenal.

"When you see how well it works it is hard to question it. My choice was to just get on with it and learn and I got to practise it with one of the best. It's so natural to Zinchenko, he makes it look so easy."

Tierney boasts five goals and 14 assists from 124 matches in an Arsenal shirt, winning one FA Cup and two Community Shields during his time in red and white.