Celtic in ‘pole position’ to seal Tierney return with sensational transfer swoop

Celtic are considering bringing Kieran Tierney back to Scotland as they consider a January bid for the Arsenal defender.

The left back has fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates and was loaned out to Spanish side Real Sociedad last season. His contract expires in the summer and the Gunners are not expected to accept an option in their favour, leaving the player to look elsewhere.

Tierney left Celtic to sign for Arsenal for £25 million in 2019 and now the Scottish champions are looking at the possibility of a pre-contract deal, but they also want to sign the player on loan from January, The Sun reports.

Wages could be the only stumbling block, while there are other interested parties including Newcastle, but the Glasgow outfit are firmly leading the race for the player. Celtic's current left-back Greg Taylor has not yet agreed a deal on his future as his contract expires this summer.

It was under Brendan Rodgers, now in his second spell at Parkhead, that Tierney first saw his share price rise, sparking interest from Premier League clubs before he eventually moved south of the border.

Despite no longer being a starter, Tierney was once a regular at Arsenal. During his time in the English capital, the 27-year-old has made 125 appearances for the Gunners.

Tierney previously left the door open to a return to Celtic, where he won numerous accolades, on The Currie Club podcast: “I think when a player who loves the club leaves, there's always that 'what if he comes back', and you I can't rule anything out. I will always love Celtic, I will always support Celtic, so you never know in football.

Tierney admitted it felt 'great' to be playing for Arsenal again as they left Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening. He said on social media: “It feels great to be back in the Emirates! Thank you very much for the welcome… always grateful. On to the semi-finals.”

Arsenal have continued to invest in their backline in recent years. Jurrien Timber and Oleksandr Zinchenko have arrived and both men have given Mikel Arteta options at left-back.