Kieran Tierney: Scotland defender set for Real Sociedad comeback

Scotland defender Kieran Tierney will return to Real Sociedad training this week, according to The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell.

Tierney has endured an injury-hit campaign with the Spanish side, on loan from Arsenal, but looks set to feature during the La Liga run-in after a recent muscle problem.

The 26-year-old is a key part of Scotland manager Steve Clarke’s plans for Euro 2024 next month.

“He should be back in training this week,” Campbell, who recently travelled to San Sebastian to interview Tierney, told the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast.

“It just feels like every time he gets going again and gets back into the team, something else disrupts him. So I think he takes injury quite hard.

“He’s one of those boys that just loves to be playing week in, week out and getting a bit of momentum. But yeah, he seemed really positive.”

Campbell also revealed how international duties have helped motivate Tierney during numerous injury lay-offs.

“When he’s speaking about Scotland, it really hit me just how important that’s been to him the last couple of years,” Campbell added.

“He’s been used to being vice-captain at Celtic or a main player at Arsenal. Then last season was the first time not being first choice, being sort of phased out the team.

“This year he’s only made 14 starts because he’s had two hamstring injuries. So it’s been a new experience for him, but what he was saying was last season, he was just thinking about ‘two weeks to Scotland, a week to Scotland’.

“That was keeping him going. And he was talking about how Steve Clarke has been amazing for his career the last few years in terms of just keeping him motivated.”