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Real Madrid and Barcelona are set to battle for Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney’s services, a report from The Sun has claimed. Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is admittedly a fan of the defender and tried to sign him when he was in charge of Napoli before the player moved to the Emirates.
Both Real Madrid and Barcelona will have only one natural left-back at the end of the season. With Marcelo set to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season, Los Blancos will just have Ferland Mendy in the left-back position.
Xavi’s Barcelona, meanwhile, will have the club’s fourth captain Jordi Alba at their disposal down the left flank. Sergino Dest has played as a left-back from time to time, but the USA international looks more lively in his natural right-back position.
As per the aforementioned report, Madrid’s chief scout Juni Calafat was impressed by the 24-year-old Tierney, so the club are contemplating making a bid.
The Whites are prepared to offer Arsenal £50 million in exchange for their left-back, possibly to ward off interest from the Blaugrana. The report adds that Arsenal may not stand in Tierney’s way if Madrid make a substantial offer this summer.
Although the Blaugrana have not been after the player for long, they could, at the very least, drive up the Scotland international’s price. The report does not mention how much Barcelona are willing to pay for the full-back, though.
Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney could bolster both Barcelona and Real Madrid
Tierney’s current contract with the Gunners runs till June 2026. With over four years remaining in his deal, it is unlikely the north London outfit would let go of the player. However, if everything falls into place and the player finds his way to Spain, it could work out well for either El Clasico outfit.
Real Madrid’s first-choice left-back Mendy is great at the back but he rarely threatens going forward. In Tierney, they would have a balanced full-back, solid in defence and adventurous in attack. The Scotland international is also a vocal leader on the pitch and has a praiseworthy work ethic.
Meanwhile, with Tierney at their disposal, Barcelona could start phasing out Jordi Alba. The Spaniard has been error-prone this season and often struggles towards the end of games. A young left-back is exactly what the club need to continue their progress under Xavi Hernandez.
