Barnes tells Arsenal star to snub ‘good fit’ Newcastle and fight for place under Arteta

Will Ford
Barnes advises Liverpool

John Barnes doesn’t believe Arsenal full-back Kieran Tierney should move to Newcastle, despite Eddie Howe’s side being “a good fit for anyone”.

Tierny – who’s started just four Premier League games this season – has been linked with a move to Newcastle, who are reportedly readying a £30m move for Scotland international in the summer.

The 25-year-old moved to Arsenal from Celtic in 2019 but has made just 114 appearances in all competitions in that time, with his career blighted by injury.

He’s been fit for most of this term but has lost his place in the starting XI to Oleksandr Zinchenko, who moved to the Gunners from Manchester City in the summer.

Barnes believes Newcastle would be a “good fit” for Tierney, but can’t understand why he would want to leave an Arsenal team on the up.

“I think Newcastle could be a good fit for anyone,” Barnes told indiabetting.co.in. “They’re a progressive team, they’re playing really well and they’re looking to go forward now.

“They’re not looking to buy superstar players just because they’ve got loads of money.

“Kieran Tierney is a good player who would definitely be a good fit for Newcastle but he’s also a good fit for Arsenal.

“He’s an Arsenal player and Arsenal is a good fit for him. Of course they have Zinchenko who is playing in Tierney’s position right now, but I don’t see why at this particular point of time he would want to leave Arsenal.”

Earlier this month, talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor urged Howe to get the deal done for Newcastle.

“I think he would be a good fit at Newcastle,” Agbonlahor said.

“It really hasn’t worked for him at Arsenal. He’s probably really considering where he stands right now. He’s not getting a look in when it comes to league games.

“Arsenal are going in a completely different direction to him. He needs to sign for a club where he’s number one. That’s not going to happen at Arsenal – ever.

“Zinchenko is the number one, and we’ve even seen Tomiyasu there.

“I just don’t think he’s at the level that Arsenal need. But as a sixth-place player – I think he’d be a top signing. Get it done, Eddie Howe.”

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