Kieran Tierney to Celtic transfer clue left hiding in plain sight by Mikel Arteta as Arsenal exit door thrown wide open
He is free to speak to clubs from today - and Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta appears to have hinted that Kieran Tierney could be on the fast track to Celtic this month.
Tierney has been told by the Premier League giants that they won’t be taking up the additional option in his contract - which means he will become a free agent at the end of the season and is now free to speak to potential suitors. Record Sport understands Brendan Rodgers is pushing to try and seal an emotional Celtic return - with Greg Taylor potentially heading out of the door having entered the final six months of his deal.
Dinamo Zagreb boss Fabio Cannavaro is keen on the Hoops' left-back who can leave for nothing at the end of the Premiership campaign. Should Taylor leave this month, the Scottish champions could look to fast-track a deal for Tierney with a loan switch potentially in the works.
READ MORE: Jota and Kieran Tierney deals agreed as £40m man snapped up - Celtic's dream January window
And Gunners' boss Arteta has already left a breadcrumb for Parkhead diehards hoping to see a return for the boyhood Celtic fan. Following a return to Arsenal action for the 27-year-old last month against Crystal Palace, Arteta directly addressed speculation over the Scotland defender's future.
He said: “At the moment he’s here with us. I wouldn’t play a player that is thinking about leaving or is not committed to us, so he’s fully committed. He’s enjoying playing after a long period again with a really tough injury, so live the moment. He’s a big part of the squad now. He deserves to be in the squad and played really well after such a long time, so that’s the only thing I can say.”
Since then, Tierney has failed to make an appearance in the league clashes with Palace and against Ipswich Town with speculation over a Celtic return only intensifying. But the boss has said he wouldn't play him if he is on the way out of the Emirates - which appears to now be a matter of when rather than if.
