Arsenal are apparently lining up a move for Celtic’s Kieran Tierney according to the latest reports but if you pay attention to the player’s recent comments, you’ll know exactly where his future lies.
The Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year has caught the attentions of a host of clubs in the Premier League, with Liverpool and Manchester City the most heavily linked until now.
Just 18, the left-back has established himself as Celtic’s first choice and Arsenal’s interest could hint at an end to Kieran Gibbs time at the club.
Tierney is under contract with the SPL side until 2019.
The left-footer, who stands 1.78m tall (5ft 8ins) has made 31 appearances so far with six goals in 21 league appearances and two in four in the cup. Not a bad return at all for a full-back.
His current market value stands at around £375k however it is unlikely that a bid that low would compel Celtic to do anything other than laugh at the audacity of it. Figures of £5m are already being mentioned.
Speaking at the awards ceremony when he picked up his PFA gong, Tierney said “I never ever thought these things could have happened to me, especially at such a young age.
“People say coming through at Celtic is hard and there’s no doubt that it is because it is a club with such high standards.
“I was fortunate enough to be giving the chance when I’d probably have expected at this point to still be playing for the Under-20s, or maybe been out on loan at a lower-league club.
“To be fair, that didn’t arise because I was happy at 17 to be playing for the Under-20s.
“I then got a couple of first-team appearances at the end of last season which as a 17-year-old at Celtic you’re over the moon with.
“The manager then gave me a game on flag day on the opening day of the season and that gave me a taste for it.
“Obviously I’ve managed to keep my place at left-back and Emilio Izaguirre kept his place at left-back for years and years, so I’m hoping I can do the same.
“But a new manager could come in and have another idea. That’s football, that’s the way it can work.
“It’s just about doing as well as you can and hopefully, the manager in charge likes you and plays you. But I know I’m going to have to work just as hard from now on.”
The lad is clearly a Celtic fan, which might make it hard for another club to turn his head just yet. He added “When I was a wee boy all I did was play football and go to the Celtic games.
“I would have been at Celtic as I was there from the age of seven, so I was playing with them, supporting them everywhere.
“It’s mad that ball boys are now going to be following me around!
“They will be in the same situation that I was in as a Celtic youth.
“I used to love going to those games to be ball boy.
“You’d go to the ground really early and hit shots, then give the players the ball back when they hit shots.
“So I know exactly how those boys will be feeling and their dream will be the same as mine was – to go on and play for the first team.”
Hardly sounds like he’s getting ready to go anywhere, does it? Especially when you pay attention to the comment he made in the middle of that statement where he says “Obviously I’ve managed to keep my place at left-back and Emilio Izaguirre kept his place at left-back for years and years, so I’m hoping I can do the same.”