Kieran Tierney’s time at Arsenal seems to be up so what next for former Celtic left-back who left Parkhead for a £25m transfer fee…
KT’s name was snubbed from Arsenal’s squad list on the match day programme for their recent pre-season friendly fixtures with many speculating that he will now depart the club before the transfer window closes.
One man that knows Tierney well is former Celtic and Scotland manager Gordon Strachan. The Scotland icon handed Tierney his international debut and recently discussed his injury and the next steps in his career with topoffshorecasinos.com.
“It’s really sad that Kieran Tierney got injured because he’s got wonderful ability. It’s difficult for me to say what the future holds for KT as we don’t really know the full extent of his injury and his recovery time.
He’ll be working hard at his rehabilitation
“What you can say is that the injury couldn’t have happened at a worse time. He got injured at the European Championships, and it will have likely disrupted any plans he had for himself this summer in terms of playing regular football. Of course, he’ll be working hard at his rehabilitation – sadly, he’s been in this position before – but if it’s a recurring injury then you do a worry about that,” Strachan said.
Strachan praised KT’s “character” and “heart” and set him a playing target for the forthcoming season to get his career back on track.
He has an unbelievable character
“You can’t question his character and who he is as a person. He has an unbelievable character. He wasn’t one of these prodgies that’s been handed everything, he worked for everything he got at Celtic.
“He’s a reminder to all these kids that move at a young age for a few extra quid and never see their careers catch fire. KT came through after James Forrest and Callum McGregor. There’s a common denominator between the three of them – they are all hard-working, humble guys. Nothing flashy about any of them.
“I just really hope that he can come back from this and stay fit. He should be looking to stay fit for a full season, and if he can do that, then someone will have a top player on their hands. He can play at left back, he can play wing back, centre back – he’s a wonderful character in the dressing room. He’s got a good heart,” Strachan added.
Brendan Rodgers is a great admirer of KT
Before his latest injury Kieran Tierney was reportedly wanted by Real Sociedad, where he spent last season on loan and performed well but also had injury concerns in the Basque Country. Brendan Rodgers is of course a great admirer of KT but Celtic would not want to pay the transfer fee that Arsenal would be looking for (although that must be reducing rapidly). KT’s wages would be another huge hurdle, preventing any notion of a Celtic re-union.
That is only likely to happen if Kieran gets to the end of his Arsenal deal, which still has two years to go on his contract. A quick search on Google shows the kind of money involved here:
Kieran Tierney signed a 5 year , $28,600,000 contract with the Arsenal F.C., including an average annual salary of $5,720,000. In 2024, Tierney will earn a base salary of $5,720,000, while carrying a cap hit of $5,720,000.
Arsenal are currently looking for £10m but surely that has to have been reduced with the Scotland injury at Euro2024 and the player dropping out of the squad list for the new season. Those numbers indicate that there will be no Celtic return anytime soon for KT.
KT to Celtic in 2026 is the most likely outcome for any return to Paradise for a very wealthy prodigal son.
The Ice King, Kieran Tierney, is back ❄️ pic.twitter.com/cPs7fTTZYJ
— Gooner Chris (@ArsenalN7) August 13, 2024
Apparently the Arsenal fans call KT ‘The Ice King’ because he’s always got an icepack on his legs.
Still think it has been overlooked about where we currently are, with trying to still fill our 8 homegrown quota for this season still?
Currently looking like 6 in place, which includes Mikey Johnston at present, who still remains a player that so called supporters like to abuse?
Maybe Rodgers might be looking towards Ben doak on loan, as a potential solution for Mikey Johnston within our squad for this season, even if it possibly wouldn’t be regarded as a longer term solution?
Regardless, it would still leave potentially 2 homegrown positions to be filled for ourselves within our 25man squad?
With the ongoing situation regarding our LB position, personally believe Tierney could still well be favourite for taking such a position available within our squad imo?
If we were serious about Beck as the solution, thought we would have signed him already for the money involved imo?
Yet it wouldn’t help ourselves whatsoever, in trying to get the 2 homegrown players situation resolved?
Agreed that chances are very slim that Tierney will be sold during this window, especially while still carrying an injury?
Certainly won’t be in arsenal squad for the coming season?
So only really a loan deal available for Tierney this season, which is made harder with his ongoing injury issues?
However, I still believe that we are in a strong position to actually manage the game time for Tierney this season imo?
Would hardly be a player that we would require for every SPFL match, but if we had him for our CL campaign, wouldn’t that be potentially a solution to a problem area within our squad at present?
Along with also being able to slot into the LCB position if required also?
Personally believe that Tierney would be worthy of a squad place for ourselves, even if the risk factors regarded injuries remains high imo?
No noise regarding where he currently is in his recovery process either during the summer?
Maybe we have more information than everyone else in that regards?
A potential risk for Rodgers to be taken regarding Tierney, but a risk I believe is worth taking that chance upon, especially when the money issue isn’t really a factor for ourselves imo?
Also buys ourselves time and to see where Taylor contract situation is heading also?
Would be a potential solution for a number of issues that still remains unanswered within the finalising of our squad for the season ahead imo?
Would still require another player to fill the homegrown quota still?
Think Rodgers might well stick with the option he did last season, regarding Turnbull and Paulo?
Paulo got the position ahead of Turnbull in CL matches. Yet Turnbull got the nod ahead of Paulo within the SPFL, due mainly to the adjustments that is required for players to be making within the vast differences in standards and how Scottish teams generally set up against ourselves?
Couldn’t a player such as McGowan do a similar role for ourselves this season, but to potentially a better degree than what Turnbull was able to provide for ourselves?
Especially when it takes a bit of time for players to adjust to the Scottish game, as we seen with how Rodgers done so with Paulo last season, but worked out well in the end for ourselves?
May well be an option Rodgers could well consider, even more so if Oreily is eventually to move on this summer?
Again McGowan, like Tierney, would be potentially worthy of positions within our 25man squad imo?
And still believe Rodgers is looking to form an overall squad, where every player has a role to play within the squad, and for a fair number of players, that’s going to involve more than just 1 role also, and putting a stop to this just using squad fillers to tackle the 8 homegrown quota requirement, would be a very welcome sight for ourselves within our finalised 25man squad imo?
Just a word of advice – Ben Doak can GTF. Would sooner have Owny Archdeacon back.