Arsenal legend Martin Keown says Kieran Tierney is the ideal replacement as club captain, following disciplinary action against striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang... but the Englishman has reservations.
Tierney has been outstanding for the Gunners, and the Muirhouse man was unlucky to see a netbound rocket touched onto the bar during last night's 2-0 win over West Ham United, which put the Gunners into the Premier League's top four.
In his Daily Mail column, Keown says Tierney is ready to take on the armband, but admitted concerns over the Scotland star's relationship with boss Mikel Arteta.
Aubameyang has been stripped of the captaincy and is out of the team after reportedly returning late from a trip to visit his sick mother in France. He is believed to be guilty of three disciplinary breaches at the London club.
Tierney, 24, missed Arsenal's Premier League victories against Aston Villa and Leicester in late October, after picking up a knock in the 2-2 draw at home to Crystal Palace.
Despite recovering from the knock, Tierney found himself on the bench for the next four games, as Arteta deployed summer signing Nuno Tavares at left-back.
Tierney was back in for games against Everton, Southampton and West Ham, but Keown believes there is a problem there.
Keown said: "Now Arteta has acted, he's got the chance to select his own skipper.
"Under his management, I believe Kieran Tierney has been the standout player who could fulfil that role.
"But Tierney's relationship seemed strained with his manager recently when he returned from injury and wasn't brought straight back into the team."
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