Kieran Tierney has officially signed a pre-contract agreement with Celtic, paving the way for an emotional return to the Scottish champions once his Arsenal contract expires.
The Gunners had previously indicated that the versatile defender, signed during Unai Emery’s tenure, would not be offered a new deal.
With his current contract nearing its end, Tierney was free to negotiate with other clubs and, according to The Telegraph, turned down offers from abroad and within the Premier League to secure his return to Parkhead.
However, this agreement could create complications in the short term. There had been speculation about Tierney making a move in January, but it now appears he may have to wait until the summer before rejoining the Hoops.
In the meantime, Arsenal’s plans for Tierney’s role during the remainder of the season remain unclear.
The defender has made three appearances in January amidst the team’s ongoing injury challenges, but competition for the left-back position remains fierce, with Myles Lewis-Skelly, Jakub Kiwior, Riccardo Calafiori, and Oleksandr Zinchenko all vying for playing time.
Last season, Tierney was sent out on loan to Real Sociedad after it became evident that his opportunities at Arsenal would be limited. The move proved beneficial, with Tierney playing regularly for the Spanish side before returning to north London.
Tierney’s connection with Celtic runs deep. A graduate of the club’s academy, he broke into the first team in 2015 and was a key figure during Brendan Rodgers’ first spell in charge.
During his time at the club, he helped secure four league titles and two Scottish Cups. Rodgers, now back at the helm, addressed the speculation surrounding Tierney but remained cautious:
“Kieran was an instrumental part of a really, really successful period when I was here,” Rodgers said.
“His talents then took him to another challenge but we’ll be linked with lots of names and with Kieran naturally because of his situation. But we’ll only talk about a player once he’s signed.”
Celtic originally sold Tierney to Arsenal in 2019 for a club-record £25 million but are now set to bring him back on a free transfer.
Meanwhile, Arsenal has yet to complete any significant January business, although reports suggest the club has secured a deal to sign Spanish midfielder Martin Zubimendi in the summer.
Mikel Arteta, however, faces mounting pressure to strengthen other areas, particularly up front.
The lack of a consistent striker has already proven costly this season, with Kai Havertz continuing to play in a central role despite not being a natural goal-scorer.
Calls for reinforcements in the striker position are growing as Arsenal looks to address this gap in the squad.