Following Oleksandr Zinchenko’s transfer to the Emirates Stadium this summer, Manchester City is preparing a last-minute attempt to sign Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney.
After allowing Zinchenko join the Gunners in a deal worth roughly £32 million last month, Pep Guardiola’s team is looking to add another left-back to their roster. The Ukrainian made his Arsenal debut in the opening-day 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace last Friday. He won four Premier League championships while playing at the Etihad Stadium.
Tierney was listed on the bench as he recovered from an injury, while Zinchenko started the game on the left side of a back four with Benjamin White, Gabriel, and William Saliba. The Scotland international entered the game as Arsenal had already secured all three points with a goal from Gabriel Martinelli and an own goal from Marc Guehi.
The Telegraph reports that City might choose Tierney over players with little to no English-league experience since he is a seasoned left-back. In recent days, they have been prominently linked with a move for Sergio Gomez of Anderlecht, with reports claiming City have reached an agreement for the Spaniard.
Gomez has made an impression throughout his time in Belgium and contributed last season with five goals and 12 assists across all competitions. He is expected to overtake Tierney as Spain’s top left-back in the coming seasons, and Sky Sports reported that City and Anderlecht had reached an agreement for a $11 million transfer fee.
Prior to Chelsea stepping in and meeting Brighton’s demand, Marc Cucurella was City’s top target for that position. The total cost of the deal, including add-ons, was somewhere over £55 million. Brighton’s Player of the Season last season after a number of reliable performances was obtained by the former Getafe player, but City were hesitant to pay that price for him.
According to reports, the 24-year-old was interested in moving to Manchester, but Chelsea persuaded him to settle in West London. Due to this, City has looked into more targets, including those connected to Raphael Guerreiro and Renan Lodi.
But Tierney has made the list because Guardiola is a big fan of the former Celtic defender. The 25-year-old was nevertheless very important for the Gunners last season and contributed to four goals in 22 league appearances while dealing with ailments. Arsenal lost seven of the 16 games he was ineligible to play in as a result of his absence.
Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker are City’s only senior full-backs, therefore they are in serious need of another excellent acquisition at left-back. When necessary, Nathan Ake and John Stones have performed admirably on the wings, but Guardiola wants to bring in a natural fit for the position. Tierney is seen to be the best Zinchenko substitute.