Brendan Rodgers has refused to comment on whether Celtic would be interested in signing Kieran Tierney, but noted that he expects the Arsenal left-back to want to go and play this summer.
Rodgers was speaking in his press conference and was asked whether the Hoops could look to bring the £25 million Scotland international back to the club before the transfer window closes.
Kieran Tierney is one player who may be looking to leave Arsenal in the final days before the deadline. The 25-year-old has fallen right down the pecking order at the Emirates, with Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu all used at left-back this season.
Tierney meanwhile, has been left out of the match day squads for the Gunners’ first two league games.
Rodgers suggests Tierney will be looking to leave Arsenal
Unfortunately, the defender just does not appear to suit Mikel Arteta’s style. The full-back on the left side tends to act as more of an extra midfielder, often moving in-field. And that does not play to Tierney’s strengths.
Reports from Give Me Sport have previously suggested that Celtic are desperate to sign Tierney this summer. And as the deadline edges closer and closer, you would imagine that a return to Parkhead may become more and more appealing.
Rodgers refused to discuss whether Celtic could make a move. But he did appear to suggest that he would not be surprised if Tierney was keen to leave Arsenal.
“I think for himself, Kieran will want to play,” he said. “He’s not a young player anymore. He’s a player who’ll want to play football, no doubt. Especially with where he was with Arsenal for the first couple of years. At times, captaining the club.
“Obviously, they’ve got a really strong squad. Mikel’s done a fantastic job there. But for Kieran himself, I’m sure he’ll be looking to go out and play.”
It will probably do Arsenal few favours if Tierney remains at the Emirates beyond the summer. They have lost Timber to a serious injury. But they have the likes of Zinchenko and Tomiyasu ready to step up.
And as Tierney does not quite fit what Arteta wants, it is surely going to be more beneficial to the Gunners to get some sort of significant fee for him, rather than keep him as the fourth name in the pecking order.
As Rodgers suggests, Tierney will surely not want to find himself in that position.