Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta arrives ahead of the English Premier League football match between Nottingham Forest and Arsenal at The City Ground in Nottingham, central England, on May 20, 2023.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirms transfer u-turn over defender: report

August 18, 2023 Sports 3 Views

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that the Gunners are set to keep a player who was previously thought to be available for transfer.

Having been busy in the market signing new reinforcements, it was believed that Arsenal would spend the second half of the summer clearing deadwood. Arteta is said to be “open” to new signings, as per The Athletic, though.

The Spaniard has lost new signing Jurrien Timber for seven to nine months after the Dutchman picked up an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the opening fixture at home to Nottingham Forest – which appears to have put the lid on any future defensive departures.

Jurrien Timber of Arsenal receives medical treatment during a match — Jurrien Timber was taken off from his first Arsenal start – and may not feature again this season (Image credit: Getty Images)

Reports have suggested Brazilian centre-back Gabriel is garnering interest from Saudi Arabian clubs, while Newcastle, West Ham and Real Sociedad have shown interest in left-back Tierney. But Arteta has denied suggestions either Gabriel Magalhaes or Kieran Tierney could leave the club ahead of the transfer deadline on Friday September 1.

Speaking on Thursday morning ahead of Monday’s trip to Crystal Palace, Arteta said: “There are not any plans on doing anything like it.”

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On Tierney specifically, who didn’t even make the bench last weekend, but did play in the Community Shield against Manchester City, the Spaniard added: “Well he played in the final, so a player that plays five days before in the final is part of the plans, for sure.”

While Gabriel was a regular at the heart of the defence last season, the addition of Timber alongside William Saliba may have pushed him out of the first eleven, while Tierney started just six games with new signing Oleksandr Zinchenko often preferred, and even the likes of Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu preferred on that side.

Jakub Kiwior and Kieran Tierney

Kieran Tierney could be set to remain at Arsenal despite rumours on the contrary (Image credit: Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)

Things could change should Arteta feel the need to go back into the transfer market to compensate for the fact Timber is now likely to miss a substantial part of the season, but the club has already spent big on the Ajax star, as well as Kai Havertz and Declan Rice, the latter costing over £100 million.

Tierney is valued at €25m by Transfermarkt.