Carlo Ancelotti wants Premier League ace to replace Real Madrid stalwart

Real Madrid are expected to be very active when the summer transfer window gets underway

Real Madrid's main focus may be on Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, but manager Carlo Ancelotti is also keen to strengthen other areas of the squad, mainly his defence. The Italian manager lost Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane last summer, and they will wave goodbye to long-time left-back Marcelo this summer.

Ancelotti is keen to bring in a quality long-term replacement for the ever reliable Brazilian, and has identified Arsenal star Kieran Tierney. The Scotland international has been a stand out player for the Gunners since joining the club from Celtic in 2019.

According to Italian publication Calcio Mercato, the Spanish giants are planning a bid for the Scottish left-back with Ancelotti keen to bring him to the Santiago Bernabeu this summer. The former Chelsea and AC Milan boss is a big admirer of the Arsenal defender, and had tried to sign him during his spell as the Napoli manager in 2019.

Tierney was courted by Napoli during the summer of 2019, but instead chose to link up with Arsenal. He arrived from the Scottish giants in a deal worth £25 million, and has gone on to establish himself as a key member of Mikel Arteta's team.

Kieran Tierney scored in Arsenal's 5-0 thrashing of Norwich Lindsey Parnaby/AFP

"He is a really good young left-back but he is a Celtic player," Ancelotti said when asked about Tierney at the time, as quoted by The Sun. "We are looking for a lot of players for this coming season but he is a Celtic player and we have two good left-backs. But honestly I can say he is a really good player."

Arsenal have a good relationship with Real, having negotiated a number of deals in recent years with the latest being Martin Odegaard's £34 million permanent transfer last summer. However, the Gunners are unlikely to be willing to allow one of their key players to leave unless Real make an astronomical offer, and the player asks for the move.

Moreover, the Gunners will hold all the cards if they come to the negotiating table, as Tierney, who signed a new long-term deal last season, is committed to the club until the summer of 2026. The Scotland international seems well settled in London, and is among the leaders of the young Arsenal squad.