Newcastle United decided not to sign Kieran Tierney last summer when Arsenal set a £30 million asking price for the defender. The Scottish left-back was also a target for Newcastle’s Premier League rivals, Aston Villa, before he joined La Liga side Real Sociedad on a season-long loan for the 2023-24 campaign.
Tierney is currently away with Scotland at Euro 2024 but faces an uncertain future at the club level. Arsenal has reportedly slashed their asking price for the 27-year-old, with The Sunday Post reporting that The Gunners would accept as little as £10 million.
Last season, Tierney made 26 appearances for Real Sociedad in all competitions but was limited to just 14 league starts due to three separate injuries. He still has two years remaining on his contract and has attracted interest from his former club Celtic, which he joined Arsenal from for £25 million in 2019.
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Despite the reduced asking price, Newcastle is unlikely to renew their interest in Tierney. The Magpies have already secured the £28 million permanent signing of Chelsea left-back Lewis Hall, following his loan spell at St James’ Park. Additionally, they have agreed on a free transfer for Lloyd Kelly, who can also play at left-back.
Newcastle has several options for the left-back position, including Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier, Tino Livramento, and Matt Targett. However, Trippier and Targett face uncertain futures at the club this summer. Trippier is heading into the final year of his contract and has received transfer interest from Saudi Arabia following a bid from Bayern Munich back in January.
Eddie Howe's decision to strengthen the squad with new left-back signings shows a clear strategy to build a solid defense for the upcoming season. With Tierney’s injury history and the new additions to the squad, Newcastle appears confident in their current roster of left-back options.