'It's not really up to me' - Kieran Tierney opens up on Arsenal future amid summer transfer talk

• Scot joined Gunners in 2019
• Faces competition for places
• Under contract until 2026

WHAT HAPPENED? The 26-year-old defender joined the Gunners from Celtic in 2019 and has taken in 123 appearances for the Premier League heavyweights. He was able to figure on 36 occasions last season, but Oleksandr Zinchenko has become Mikel Arteta’s go-to option at left-back. That has led to suggestions that Tierney – who has been heavily linked with Newcastle – could be on the move this summer, but he claims to be in the dark when it comes to exit rumours.

WHAT THEY SAID: Tierney has said, as covered by The Athletic, when quizzed on his future: “It’s not really up to me. I’m happy, I’m working hard every day and getting minutes. I’m just trying to do as well as I can. No (I have not had conversations with Arteta). You can’t play every single game, every single season, every single year. I don’t expect that and I still made a lot of appearances last year. I was ready every game and working 100 per cent. I think everyone in there would agree with that, that I never give less than that whether I’m playing or not. In the games I did play I tried to do my best for the team. I came off the bench a lot last season, whether that was to see games out or help get a goal.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Tierney, who is under contract at Emirates Stadium until 2026, has seen Arsenal spend again in the current transfer window and says record signing Declan Rice is settling in well following his £105 million ($135m) move from West Ham. The Scot added: “Declan actually said the other day he feels like he’s been here for so long. It’s such a close group, great team-mates, great staff so I think they’re all loving it (the new players). We’ve had a few songs. Declan gave us Ice, Ice Baby as he always does. They’ve integrated really well and we’ve done team activities together. It’s been just what the new boys needed.”

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WHAT NEXT? Arsenal – who have also snapped up Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber – are currently in the United States as part of their pre-season preparations for 2023-24 and will be back in action on Thursday when facing La Liga giants Barcelona, with Arteta’s side hoping to offer a positive response to their 2-0 defeat against Manchester United.