Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has left pundits waxing lyrical from all angles for how he has constructed a robust and free-flowing outfit from relegation-threatened strugglers.
Since the £300m PIF takeover in October 2021, the Magpies' fortunes have turned around most resoundingly, and despite the overt opulence of the club's new owners, transfer business has been conducted shrewdly.
Dan Burn, for example, was signed for his hometown club for £13m in January 2022 to kickstart a prosperous run that has yet to falter, the Magpies perched in third place in the Premier League and on course for a return to the Champions League with just three matches to play.
Considering this, Howe is looking to fortify his ranks with signings across the pitch, and despite Burn's success as a makeshift left-back this season, has earmarked Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney as an option for transfer this summer.
According to The Sun, technical director Dan Ashworth is planning to instigate a £30m raid on the Gunners for the Scotsman, who has fallen out of favour under Mikel Arteta's wing, with the Magpies boss actively searching for a new left-back.
Should Newcastle sign Kieran Tierney?
Despite his recent woes in north London, Tierney remains a dynamic and exciting full-back and there is no reason why he cannot reignite his career under Howe's tutelage on Tyneside.
Signing for Arsenal from Celtic for £25m on transfer deadline day in 2019, Tierney has won the FA Cup and Community Shield with the Emirates-based outfit and forged 120 displays for the club, scoring five goals and supplying 14 assists, hailed as a "warrior" by distinguished former left-back Ashley Cole.
This season, the 25-year-old has played 33 times, scoring once and assisting twice, but found a starting berth in the top-flight on only five occasions, with £32m summer acquisition Oleksandr Zinchenko cementing the position as his own.
With Arsenal making commendable progress over the past few years under Arteta, it's difficult to argue that Tierney deserves a permanent place when the ship is flowing with such formidable conviction, but at Newcastle he could solidify the left flank as his own for years to come.
As per FBref, the £110k-per-week ace ranks among the top 11% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues for total shots, the top 15% for progressive passes, the top 13% for progressive carries and the top 21% for rate of assists per 90.
Prospectively sealing a transfer, Howe could emulate the success of Liverpool's Andy Robertson on Tyneside, with Tierney's compatriot flourishing as one of the world's best in his position since signing for the Reds for a scant £10m from Hull City in 2017.
The 60-cap Scotland captain has won a wealth of major honours at Anfield including the Premier League and Champions League and currently boasts the highest assist tally of any defender in Premier League history, hailed as a "Duracell Bunny" by Liverpool writer Leanne Prescott for his unrelenting presence down the left.
With Tierney boasting passing proficiency of his own and an aptitude at carrying the ball up the pitch, as highlighted via his FBref statistics, Newcastle could soon sign a dynamic new defender to steer them towards illustrious success.
