Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney is set to make a return to the Scottish champions, with the move guaranteed to happen by summer at the latest. The 27-year-old Scotland international, whose contract with Arsenal expires this summer, could potentially join Celtic even earlier if an agreement is reached during the January transfer window.
The news comes amid several personnel changes at Celtic, including the early termination of Alex Valle's loan from Barcelona. The 20-year-old left-back, who made 19 appearances for Celtic primarily as Greg Taylor's backup, has returned to Barcelona and is expected to move to another team.
Rodgers addressed Tierney's situation carefully, stating, "He's still, at this moment, an Arsenal player." He added, "I think we're agreed that it will definitely take place in the summer. If we can do it beforehand, then great." The Celtic manager emphasized their interest in expediting the move while acknowledging that the timing remains beyond their control.
Tierney, who has seen limited action with Arsenal recently, has made just one start and four substitute appearances since recovering from injury last month.
In other team developments, Celtic is actively seeking a replacement for striker Kyogo Furuhashi, who was recently transferred to French club Rennes. Rodgers expressed disappointment at losing Kyogo, describing him as "a real iconic player for the club" but acknowledged the striker's desire to move on. The transfer saw Portuguese winger Jota return to Celtic from Rennes as part of the arrangements.
The personnel changes will impact Celtic's upcoming Champions League playoff match against Aston Villa on Wednesday. The team will be without both Kyogo and suspended Japanese forward Daizen Maeda. Additionally, Cameron Carter-Vickers and James Forrest will miss the fixture due to injuries, with Rodgers confirming Carter-Vickers picked up a minor issue in Celtic's latest game. However, with Celtic's place in the playoffs already secured, Rodgers sees no need to risk the center-half's fitness.
Rodgers remains optimistic about the team's depth, noting that the absences will provide opportunities for other players to make their mark in the squad.
