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Celtic announce five year signing of Arsenal defender
Kieran Tierney has completed a return to Celtic on a five-year deal following his departure from Arsenal this summer. The pre-contract agreement was signed earlier this year, with official confirmation coming earlier this week.
Sky Sports has reported that Celtic attempted to sign Tierney on loan in January before making the move permanent in the summer, but the player decided to stay with Arsenal for the remainder of the season.
A Celtic youth academy graduate, Tierney rose through the ranks and made 170 appearances for the club before leaving for Arsenal in 2019. He won 10 trophies during that time, including three consecutive treble winning campaigns.
Many of those appearances came under manager Brendan Rodgers, who like Tierney is now in his second stint at the club. The two will reunite next season.
Tierney was Arsenal’s first choice left back for much of his time with the club, but injuries ultimately hindered his Premier League career. He managed only 15 Premier League appearances in his first season after undergoing a double hernia operation, but made the spot his own on his return.
He was a mainstay in the XI for the following three seasons, but a serious knee injury at the end of the 2021/22 season saw him fall down the pecking order. He spent the entirety of the 2023/24 season on loan at Real Sociedad.
He made 20 appearances in the second half the season just passed, starting four. He capped off his time at the club with a goal in Arsenal’s last match of the season, a 2-1 away win against Southampton.
Tierney makes Celtic return
Tierney expressed his delight with returning to his childhood club. Speaking to the Celtic website, Tierney said: “Everybody’s known for a few months and just to be here with the Celtic strip on again just feels amazing.”
“I spoke with the manager, and obviously I had worked with him before and I’ve always kept in touch with him. He’s one of the best so I’m so lucky and grateful that he’s given me the chance to come back again.”
“My ambition is just for Celtic to be as successful as possible, retain our place at the top and continue to win trophies and do well for Celtic.”
With the emergence of young star Miles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori as options at left back, Arsenal are not expected to sign a replacement for Tierney this summer.
Tierney is one of several players leaving Arsenal this summer with the club also announcing the departures of loan players Raheem Sterling and Neto, while veteran Jorginho has signed for Flamengo following the expiration of his deal.
