It's derby week in Glasgow although, if it's possible for an Old Firm fixture to ever be inconsequential, now would be the time with Celtic kick offing 16 points clear of their fierce rivals.
With just nine matches still to play, things are a foregone conclusion, knowing a win on Sunday could help Brendan Rodgers' men rubber stamp the title as soon as 6 April at St Johnstone.
Reo-Hatate-James-Tavernier-Celtic-Rangers
So, preparations are already well underway for next season, with left-back one of the positions Rodgers will be giving the most thought to ahead of the summer with Kieran Tierney looking likely to return.
Kieran Tierney's impending return to Celtic
Prior to the Champions League fixture against Aston Villa in January, Rodgers confirmed that Arsenal full-back Tierney had signed a pre-contract agreement with the club, which will see him return to Glasgow in the summer.
Having initially joined Celtic as a seven-year-old, he made his senior debut against Dundee at Dens Park in 2015, accumulating 170 appearances in hoops, before being sold to Arsenal for a reported fee of £25m in August 2019, still Celtic's joint-record sale.
Tierney's time in North London has been blighted by injuries, featuring 133 times for the Gunners, but sitting out a similar number of matches due to numerous injuries.
kieran-tierney-celtic-career-stats-record (timeless)
Nevertheless, Tierney remains a firm fan favourite for all Gooners, with the Scotland international himself saying "from day one the Arsenal fans have shown me so much love."
This season, after recovering from a severe hamstring tear suffered at the Euros, Tierney has made just nine appearances, totalling 181 minutes, albeit he was recalled to Steve Clarke's Scotland squad on Tuesday, ahead of the two-legged UEFA Nations League play-off against Greece later this month.
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Now, with his contract due to expire in June, the 27-year-old will depart Arsenal in the summer, with Rodgers confirming he will “definitely” be returning to Celtic.
However, upon his return to Parkhead, could he face some serious competition for a starting spot?
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Celtic's biggest rival for Kieran Tierney
2025 is set to be a year of mass change when it comes to Celtic left-backs, the catalyst being the fact that loanee Álex Valle was recalled by Barcelona in January, before being loaned out to Como, having made 19 appearances for the Bhoys.
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This left Greg Taylor as the only left-back option so, on deadline day, Jeffrey Schlupp arrived on loan from Crystal Palace, a move that he himself admitted came out of nowhere.
Nevertheless, the Ghana international has instantaneously usurped Taylor in the pecking order, having self-proclaimed that his stint is 'exceeding all expectations' already.
As a result, Rodgers has confirmed he is open to signing Schlupp permanently, with writer Anthony Haggerty urging him to do so, stating that a 'player of genuine quality doesn’t often come along'.
So, let's assess how Schlupp and Tiereny compare.
Schlupp vs Tierney comparison (22/23-present)
Statistics
Appearances
Minutes
Goals
Assists
Pass completion %
Shot-creating actions
Goal-creating actions
Progressive carries
Progressive passes
% of dribblers tackled
Interceptions
Ball recoveries
All statistics courtesy of FBref.com
As the table outlines, Schlupp and Tierney's statistics are very similar, with the Ghanian predominantly coming out on top in the final third, while the Scottish full-back boasts largely better passing and defensive statistics.
tierney-premier-league-arsenal-celtic-transfer-gossip
Nevertheless, and this is why such a large sample size in terms of time frame was chosen, Tierney is very injury-prone, so even if he does return with the intention of being the first choice, a more than capable deputy will be required.
Taylor, for his part, appears set to leave Celtic in the summer on a Bosman, with Croatian outlet Sportnet reporting the 27-year-old, who arrived from Kilmarnock as Tierney's replacement six years ago, has agreed to join GNK Dinamo Zagreb.
Thus, having begun this year with Taylor and Valle as the left-back options, Rodgers appears set to go into the summer with Tierney and Schlupp fighting for that position, assuming the latter joins permanently.
Celtic striker Adam Idah celebrates winning the Scottish Cup Related
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While Celtic are seemingly on their way to another treble, a former striker is in good form in Belgium, so could the Hoops regret selling him for £4m?