--- title: "Celtic: Kieran Tierney completes move to Arsenal" canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-kieran-tierney-completes-move-to-arsenal/" type: "post" language: "en-GB" author: "Liam Togher" section: "SPFL News" published: "2019-08-09T13:00:39Z" modified: "2019-08-09T13:00:39Z" --- # Celtic: Kieran Tierney completes move to Arsenal **Arsenal have completed the signing of Kieran Tierney from Celtic after he passed a medical with the London club yesterday.** [Celtic’s official website](https://www.celticfc.net/news/16614) confirmed the completion of the transfer yesterday afternoon after [agreeing a fee for the Scotland left-back.](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/11779719/kieran-tierney-undergoing-arsenal-medical-after-fee-agreed-with-celtic) [BBC Sport report](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49283667) that Tierney joined the Gunners for £25 million. In the process, Tierney has become [Celtic’s record sale](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/celtic-glasgow/rekordabgaenge/verein/371), taking the mantle from [Moussa Dembele after his £19.8m move to Lyon](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/celtic-glasgow/rekordabgaenge/verein/371) last year. ![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN.png) Tierney leaves Celtic after making [170 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kieran-tierney/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/300716) for the Hoops, [scoring eight goals and providing 37 assists](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kieran-tierney/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/300716). He was named [PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year](https://www.celticfc.net/news/14301) and [Celtic Young Player of the Year](https://www.celticfc.net/news/14266) for three consecutive seasons from 2015/16 to 2017/18, but [injuries](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kieran-tierney/verletzungen/spieler/300716) limited him to just [21 Premiership appearances last term](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kieran-tierney/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/300716). The 22-year-old [Scotland international](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/kieran-tierney/profil/spieler/300716) did not feature for Celtic in pre-season as he continued his recovery from a double hernia operation, as reported by [Herald Scotland](https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/17768158.celtic-return-hold-kieran-tierney-old-injury-problem-rears-head/). Former Celtic striker Charlie Nicholas [spoke highly of Tierney on Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/11779719/kieran-tierney-undergoing-arsenal-medical-after-fee-agreed-with-celtic) today, saying: “Tierney has improved a lot, he’d be better than what Arsenal currently have. He added: “I think the time is right for him to move on. Celtic fans might ask why he doesn’t stay for nine in a row. That’s not guaranteed; neither is 10. Going to a big club like Arsenal, in the Premier League, you can’t guarantee trophies, but they are signing a very good left-back who can get better.” Tierney was not in the Hoops’ travelling party on Tuesday night for their Champions League qualifier away to CFR Cluj, as reported by the [Daily Record](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/neil-lennon-provides-kieran-tierney-18854144), with [Boli Bolingoli again filling the left-back slot](https://www.skysports.com/football/cluj-vs-celtic/teams/419489) for Neil Lennon’s side. The Belgian has [played in all six of Celtic’s games so far this season](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/boli-bolingoli/leistungsdaten/spieler/168156), [lining up at left-back in all but one](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/boli-bolingoli/leistungsdaten/spieler/168156), but his performances have earned mixed reviews. [Football Scotland](https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/spfl/scottish-premiership/boli-bolingoli-could-celtic-greatest-16673458) writer Jonathan McFarlane described him as “[explosive going forward](https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/spfl/scottish-premiership/boli-bolingoli-could-celtic-greatest-16673458)“, but former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner has said that Bolingoli needs to improve the defensive side of his game when speaking to [BBC Sportsound](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48969949). ![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png) It is much too early in Bolingoli’s Celtic career to make an assured judgement as to whether he will be a success, but he certainly faced a sizeable task in replacing Tierney permanently. The Scotland left-back’s inclusion in the [PFA Scotland Team of the Year for three consecutive seasons](https://www.celticfc.net/news/14301) testifies to his consistently high performances in the Scottish Premiership, while [Chris Sutton tweeted](https://twitter.com/chris_sutton73/status/1143851605856591872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1143851605856591872&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fstrettynews.com%2F2019%2F06%2F26%2Fevery-bit-as-good-pundit-compares-arsenal-target-to-wan-bissaka%2F) that he was “[every bit as good](https://twitter.com/chris_sutton73/status/1143851605856591872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1143851605856591872&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fstrettynews.com%2F2019%2F06%2F26%2Fevery-bit-as-good-pundit-compares-arsenal-target-to-wan-bissaka%2F)” as Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who [cost Manchester United £50m](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48784655) this summer. Bolingoli could prove to be an excellent addition yet, but Celtic will almost certainly miss Tierney’s consistency and attacking prowess massively. ***Celtic fans, how do you feel about Tierney’s move to Arsenal being completed? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below!***