Mikel Arteta names forgotten Arsenal star in his 23-man Champions League squad… despite them not playing for the Gunners in more than a year
- Arsenal’s squad for the Champions League campaign has been announced
- There was one surprising name in particular included in Mikel Arteta’s squad
- FOOTBALL AZ: Listen now wherever you get your podcasts, or watch on YouTube. New episodes every Wednesday
Arsenal have surprisingly added a player to their 23-man squad for the upcoming Champions League season.
UEFA has announced the squads of all 36 teams taking part in the competition, including Premier League challengers Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Aston Villa.
Each club submits an A-list and a B-list, with the B-list consisting of players under the age of 21.
There was one name that stood out on Arsenal’s main roster. He hasn’t played for the Gunners since their Community Shield win over Manchester City in 2023.
The player in question is Scotland international Kieran Tierney.
Kieran Tierney has made Arsenal’s Champions League squad for the 2024-25 season
Tierney was set to leave but is still sidelined with a hamstring injury
Arteta last played against Tierney in a match during the 2023 Community Shield victory over Man City
Tierney, who has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, played on loan for LaLiga club Real Sociedad last year.
The 27-year-old player is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, which he sustained during the 2024 European Championship for his country.
Had it not been for his injury, Tierney was expected to leave the Gunners in the summer.
However, he now gets the chance to play for the Gunners in this season’s expanded Champions League format.
His arrival will certainly add to the depth of their squad as they play eight games in the league phase that has replaced the old group stage.
Tierney has made 124 appearances for the Gunners since joining from Celtic in 2019.
It was the arrival of Olekdandr Zinchenko in the summer of 2022 that saw Tierney lose his place at left-back.
Manager Mikel Arteta said of Tierney last month: ‘He must concentrate on recovering as well as possible, as it has been a tough time for him again due to the latest injury.
Raheem Sterling is one of the new summer players set to make Arteta’s European squad
“We have to support him and make sure he gets fit again.”
Arsenal’s squad largely meets expectations for the upcoming Champions League.
Their squad includes summer signings Neto, Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Marino and Raheem Sterling.
Arsenal returned to Europe’s top competition last season and were knocked out 3-2 in the quarter-finals by Bayern Munich.
