Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has played down speculation surrounding a potential return to Parkhead for Kieran Tierney during the January transfer window.
Kieran Tierney
Soccer Football – Europa League Round of 32 First Leg – Celtic vs Zenit Saint Petersburg – Celtic Park, Glasgow, Britain – February 15, 2018 Celtic’s Callum McGregor and Kieran Tierney after the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
Despite widespread reports linking the Arsenal left-back with a move back to his boyhood club, Rodgers remained non-committal, insisting that his focus remains on improving the squad without discussing players at other clubs.
Celtic fans have been abuzz with rumours of a loan deal and even a pre-contract agreement for Tierney, whose future at Arsenal remains uncertain due to injuries and a lack of consistent game time.
However, Rodgers, who managed Tierney during his first stint at Celtic, refused to entertain the speculation when asked about the possibility of a reunion.
Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the trip to Dundee United, Rodgers said:
“Well, Kieran is someone I know really well but there’s lots of players who have been linked with coming to Celtic.
“We will never speak about a player, especially a young player that’s at another club.
“But we’ve got work to do, we know that. We want to improve the squad further in a number of key areas. But until that happens, the players here have been working so well.
“We’ll just continue to work with them and see what happens in January.”
The speculation around a return for Tierney isn’t surprising. The 27-year-old left-back remains a fan favourite at Parkhead following his successful spell at the club between 2015 and 2019, where he won multiple Scottish Premiership titles and domestic cups before his £25 million move to Arsenal.
With Celtic’s current left-back options under scrutiny—Greg Taylor’s inconsistent performances and Alex Valle’s loan deal from Barcelona—many fans believe Tierney’s return would be a significant upgrade.
His defensive solidity, leadership, and attacking threat down the flank would provide Celtic with a proven quality player, especially with Champions League qualifiers looming next summer.
As the transfer window nears, Celtic’s priorities appear to be clear. The need for reinforcements at left-back and possibly on the left wing has been widely discussed by fans and pundits.
Whether or not Kieran Tierney is part of those plans remains to be seen, but Rodgers’ comments suggest that, while the door isn’t closed, fans will have to wait and see what unfolds in January.
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