Celtic have agreed to bring Kieran Tierney back to Glasgow when his contract expires at Arsenal
Celtic-bound star Kieran Tierney was forced to play as a makeshift left-winger during Arsenal’s disappointing 1-1 draw against Premier League strugglers Manchester United.
The 27-year-old's deal with the North London club expires at the season's end, and he has already signed a pre-contract to return to Celtic over the summer, in a deal which will delight the Hoops faithful who regularly sang the player's name during his first stint at Parkhead.
Celtic had tried to bring the player to Glasgow before the end of the season after agreeing terms in advance with the Scottish international but were thwarted in their efforts by the Premier League title hopefuls who didn’t want to trim their squad any further at the midpoint of the season.
Kieran Tierney showcases versatility in Arsenal draw
Kieran Tierney has long been renowned for his attacking prowess and excellent crossing ability despite primarily playing as a full-back. During his time at Celtic, he racked up eight goals and 37 assists in 170 appearances and was often praised for his exuberant overlapping runs, pace and workrate at both ends of the pitch. For Arsenal he’s also managed five goals and 13 assists in 133 appearances, though a large portion of those appearances have come as a sub after falling down the pecking order at the Emirates Stadium under Mikel Arteta.
Tierney has proven throughout his career both at club level and international level, that he can play at either side of the defence as a full-back and has even showcased his ability to slot into the centre back position on occasion in an injury crisis.
However, his appearance against Manchester United from the subs bench when he replaced Thomas Partey on 74 minutes was only the 28th time in his career he had played as a left midfielder, according to Transfermarkt.
Tierney worked hard during the contest against Manchester United but looked out of place on the left-hand side as the Gunners struggled to find a winning goal. The 27-year-old will certainly hope that he returns to a more familiar role when he comes back to Celtic at the start of the 2025/26 season under Brendan Rodgers.
What Brendan Rodgers has said about Kieran Tierney’s return
Brendan Rodgers has expressed his excitement about once again working with Kieran Tierney at Parkhead. During an interview at the end of January, via The Celtic Way, however, he admitted that a mid-season move for the Scottish international was never as close as many outlets had reported. He explained: Recently speaking on Tierney's return, Parkhead boss Brendan Rodgers revealed a deal to bring him back to Glasgow in January of this year instead of the summer was never on the cards: "No, it wasn’t close." He said.
“I think that it was clear, obviously, Kieran is for the summer. If that was the possibility [a January move], then that was on Arsenal’s terms, nothing to do with Celtic.”
Read more: Crystal Palace plot move for ‘outstanding’ £6m Celtic star as Everton in 'race' to land 13-goal Rangers ace
Related topics:Kieran TierneyBrendan RodgersArsenal
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