Aston Villa are eyeing a move for Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney ahead of the summer transfer window, with Unai Emery looking to strengthen his squad for the challenges of European football next season.

What’s the latest on Kieran Tierney to Aston Villa?

According to The Times, both Villa and Newcastle United are set to battle it out for the Arsenal defender once the transfer window opens.

Emery signed Tierney from Celtic when he was in charge of the Gunners back in 2019 and is clearly a fan of the Scot.

Football Insider state that the North London side value him at around £30m and with Emery likely to move a few players on this summer, he would be more than affordable.

Could Kieran Tierney sign for Aston Villa?

It is certainly within the realm of possibilities, though with Champions League football returning to Newcastle for the first time in over 20 years, Emery may have trouble convincing him.

The two know each other well from their spell at Arsenal, however, and this could be a key part of any potential move, while the Spaniard would be getting his very own Oleksandr Zinchenko, as the pair are statistically similar according to FBref.

The Ukraine star has made a big impression since swapping Manchester City for Arsenal last summer, ranking third in the squad for accurate passes per game (55.8) and fifth for both tackles (1.5) and interceptions (0.8) per game, showcasing his importance to the side.

Zinchenko is the tenth-most comparable player across the previous 365 days to his fellow teammate.

They have both registered similar statistics with regard to goal-creating actions (both four), tackles won (18 to 11), touches in the attacking penalty area (33 to 15), crosses (37 to 24) and shots per 90 (1.19 to 0.79), indicating that both offer a key attacking threat going forward from a defensive position, something that Emery would love to have in his side.

Tierney was dubbed a ”warrior” by former Arsenal defender Ashley Cole, whilst ex-Rangers striker Kris Boyd lauded the Scot as “unbelievable” and having won five Premiership titles and a host of domestic cups during his spell at Celtic, he would arrive at Villa Park with a winning mentality that could prove crucial.

With Villa taking part in a European competition next term, Emery is clearly keen on taking his team to the next level, so signing Tierney, who has won trophies in Scotland and England, could be a stroke of genius, especially if he only costs £30m.