Why Kieran Tierney is a better option for Arsenal than Gibbs and Monreal

Arsenal reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup at the weekend courtesy of a 5-0 thumping of non-league Lincoln City at the Emirates Stadium.

The Imps had shocked Ipswich Town, Brighton, and Burnley en route to the last eight of the competition, and held the Gunners for 45 minutes before Theo Walcott broke their resolve in the first minute of first half stoppage time.

And then the floodgates opened, with goals for Olivier Giroud, Alexis Sanchez, and Aaron Ramsey, as well as an own goal from Luke Waterfall, securing a comprehensive victory for Arsene Wenger’s side.

It means that the Gunners will face Manchester City in the last four at Wembley next month, and although the North London side still have a lot to play for this term, including a place in the Premier League’s top four, speculation has already arisen about who they might sign in the summer.

And one name linked with the Emirates is Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney, who has been mightily impressive for the Bhoys since making his professional debut for the club in 2015.

Wenger is clearly unsure about the capabilities of current left-backs Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs, and with the former having turned 31 last month, a long-term replacement should be near the top of his agenda this summer, should the Frenchman remain in charge.

And Tierney is clearly a player who Wenger should bring to the club.

The 19-year-old has been an integral part of the Celtic side that has effectively won the Scottish Premiership this season, with an ankle ligament injury back in October his only spell out of the team since the start of the campaign.

The left-back was once again impressive in their 1-1 draw with Rangers in the Old Firm derby on Sunday in what was his 65th appearance for the Scottish giants, which is an incredible tally given that he is only 19, and only made his senior debut 23 months ago.

With that amount of experience under his belt already, which includes 13 games in European competition, three of which came in this season’s Champions League, Tierney is clearly developing a maturity beyond his years, which was evident in his fine display against Manchester City in the competition earlier this term.

The left-back has also earned international recognition by appearing twice for the Scotland side in the last 12 months, so he is clearly highly-rated by both club and country, and it’s all experience which will inevitably help him become a better defender in the years to come.

It’s not only his exposure to different situations and competitions which will be of interest to Wenger because, as a full-back, Tierney has everything.

He is quick, agile, and loves to get forward wherever possible, yet has the energy and enthusiasm to track back and fulfil his defensive duties, rarely shying away from a tackle and sometimes proving to be a physical match against most wingers.

He has a good eye for a pass and often produces a decent cross from wide on the left, so not only is he a solid and dependable defender, he has technical skills which could be of huge benefit to Arsenal.

While Gibbs is arguably better offensively than Monreal, the latter trumps him in the defensive third of the field. Yet Tierney is solid in both areas.

At just 19, the Celtic star has all the hallmarks of becoming a great left-back, and is someone who Wenger and Arsenal should certainly try and bring in during the summer.