Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed Kieran Tierney has shown no signs of wanting to leave for Celtic, and he “wouldn’t play” him if he wasn’t committed to the club.
Tierney only recently played his first game for the Gunners since the Community Shield prior to the 2023/24 season. Since then, he spent a season with Real Sociedad, and was injured at the beginning of this term.
After sitting on the bench for six games, Tierney re-emerged against Crystal Palace in the League Cup quarter-final.
He could be in line for more games, with Arteta adamant he’s not looking to the exit, despite links with Celtic.
“At the moment he’s here with us. I wouldn’t play a player that is thinking about leaving or is not committed to us,” Arteta told media.
“He’s fully committed, he’s enjoying things after a long period again with a really tough injury. Live the moment. He’s a big part of the squad now. He deserves to be in the squad, he played really well the other day after such a long time. That’s the only thing I can say.
“He hasn’t come to me and said, ‘I want to move.’ When in the past we had any doubts, he came to me and said, ‘I think it’s my time to move.’ This hasn’t been the case yet.”
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Celtic return eyed
With Tierney not to be offered an extension of his contract by Arsenal, he’ll be free to leave in the summer, and TEAMtalk is aware both the left-back and his former side Celtic would be willing to reunite.
Given he’d be able to move on a free at the end of the campaign, there’d be no reason for him to angle for an exit, or tell Arteta those are his plans, given they won’t impact Arsenal.
While Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers did not confirm his desire to bring Tierney back, he also did not quash rumours.
“Kieran is someone I know really well but there will be lots of players linked with coming to Celtic,” Rodgers said.
“We will never speak about a player, especially a young player who is 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.”
Arsenal round-up: Gunners urged to go big for Isak
Amid their need to land a star forward, Dwight Yorke has told Arsenal to “bang £100m on the table” for Alexander Isak in January.
It comes after Jamie Carragher stated a new forward is needed at the Emirates if the Gunners are to have a proper go at winning the title.
TEAMtalk is aware that Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani is one to watch for Arsenal during the winter transfer window.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s financial issues could see attacking-midfielder Dani Olmo fail to be registered for the second half of the season, which would allow him to move on for free, and the Gunners are hopeful they can land him if that is the case.
Tierney’s Celtic stats
Kieran Tierney 170 games 8 goals 37 assists
Tierney’s stats from his first spell at Celtic