Newcastle United sporting director Dan Ashworth will little doubt have one eye firmly on the summer time switch window, with the Englishman wanting to make sure the Magpies are in a position to construct upon what has been a exceptional marketing campaign to this point.
One potential space that the switch chief will seemingly be trying to handle is at left again, with current studies having instructed that the Tynesiders are fascinated with a transfer for Arsenal ace, Kieran Tierney.
What’s the newest on Kieran Tierney to Newcastle?
As Football Insider reported late final week, the St James’ Park outfit are stated to be ‘closely monitoring’ the Scotland worldwide forward of a possible summer time transfer, with the 25-year-old having misplaced his place to Oleksandr Zinchenko in Mikel Arteta’s facet.
The report means that the 5 foot 10 brute – who joined the Gunners from Celtic on a £25m deal in 2019 – could be accessible for a price of round £30m if he’s to depart within the coming months, regardless of nonetheless having just below three years left to run on his present deal.
Could Tierney be Newcastle’s subsequent Joe Willock?
The hope for Eddie Howe’s facet shall be that Tierney could show simply as influential as that of one other man to have arrived from the Emirates within the current previous in Joe Willock, with the Englishman having shone since his preliminary loan move in January 2021.
The 23-year-old went on to finish the 2020/21 marketing campaign with eight targets to his title in simply 14 league appearances for the northeast facet, with that devastating tally in the end proving very important in steering the membership firmly away from hazard.
While the playmaker has been unable to keep up that sizzling streak since signing on a everlasting deal for a price of round £25m – scoring solely four extra targets over the previous 18 months or so – he nonetheless stays an important a part of Howe’s squad, with the previous Bournemouth boss notably stating final month:
“I’ve been actually happy with Joe. I feel he’s maturing properly. I feel he’s received actually good uncooked potential. He’s very athletic and has an eye fixed for objective, technically he’s excellent and tactically he’s bettering.
“He has been excellent for me. I have forged an excellent relationship with him and I really like him as a person. I think the big thing with Joe is there’s a lot more to come. And I am excited about his future.”
That affect has been showcased by the truth that Willock has averaged 1.6 tackles per recreation and laid on 5 large probabilities in complete to this point this season from his 22 league appearances, with his all-action box-to-box type additionally demonstrated by the truth that he ranks within the top 10% amongst his European friends for progressive carries and within the prime 1% for touches within the attacking penalty space.
With it clear to see that Newcastle’s seize of the dynamic midfielder has greater than paid off, the purpose for Ashworth shall be to duplicate that earlier success by bringing in Tierney sooner slightly than later, with the previous Hoops man in a position to mirror his ex-teammate in reviving his profession at St James’ Park.
The full-back “machine” – as beforehand praised by journalist Simon Collings – could nicely mirror Willock in offering Howe with an actual relentless presence from the flanks, showcased by the truth that the Isle of Man native ranks within the top 13% for progressive carries.
The £110k-per-week man additionally presents actual high quality on the ball as he ranks within the top 7% for progressive passes as a marker of his forward-thinking strategy, with that want to make issues occur additionally illustrated by the truth that the 35-cap monster ranks within the prime 16% for tried passes.
While Tierney’s time in England has maybe not fairly gone to plan as but – having made simply four league begins this season – he beforehand flourished throughout his time north of the border, scoring eight targets and laying on 37 assists in 170 video games throughout all fronts for the Old Firm giants.
With the Arsenal man clearly an actual menace in an attacking sense, Ashworth and co ought to seemingly soar on the likelihood to strike a deal this summer time, notably after seeing the affect that Willock has made in recent times.