After losing ground to Mikel Arteta in North London’s hierarchy, Tierney moved on a one-season loan to the Basque Country.
The Scotland international’s time on the field with his new teammates has been restricted due to two hamstring problems, so there have been difficulties for the Scottish.
Having witnessed some of his teammates up close, he has declared them to be among the best in the world, but he has also been captivated with life in the Spanish top division.
In the meantime, Mikel Merino has resumed his career following a dismal Premier League spell with Newcastle. He was signed in 2018 for €12 million, went on to become a regular for Spain, and was selected for La Liga’s team of the year the previous season.
Martin Zubimendi, a 25-year-old central midfielder who has been connected to a move to Arsenal, was also singled out for attention.
Another Spain international, Zubimendi is said to have a €60 million release clause and is considered to be one of the biggest in his position in the top flight of Spain.
He was the 2023 UEFA Nations League champion with Spain, and he has been compared to both Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso.
“I was up against Take Kubo in the first couple of weeks training, so to see how sharp he is struck me,” Tierney told – The Guardian
“You have world-class players like [Marton] Zubimendi, [Mikel] Merino, Brais [Mendez]. It’s not that people don’t think they’re good; it’s just that if you’re only watching the Premier League every week, it’s hard to know.
“They’re world class, and for so many to come from the academy is incredible.”