The Celtic fans are counting down the days until Kieran Tierney becomes their player once more.
On Sunday, the Premier League will wrap up its 2024/25 campaign, and Tierney is anticipated to make his final appearance for Arsenal.
Regarding the London club’s closing-day encounter at already-relegated Southampton, there’s nothing at stake for Mikel Arteta’s men, who have already booked Champions League qualification after falling short in the title race against Liverpool.
But the Celtic Park faithful will be watching closely to see if Tierney features in his farewell fixture, having been praised and cheered during his last outing at the Emirates.
The 27-year-old has mostly been utilised from the bench this season, and even though his time at Arsenal appears to be ending on a quiet note, the admiration and affection for Tierney remain unquestionable.
Celtic’s ‘gain’ from Arsenal’s ‘loss’ in letting Kieran Tierney depart
Celtic’s transfer dealings merit recognition, having sold Tierney for a club-record £25 million and now managing to bring him back without a transfer fee.
Stephen McGinn believes what will become Celtic’s ‘gain’ is Arsenal’s ‘loss’, pointing to Tierney’s unwavering commitment, regardless of the circumstances, as he explained on Go Radio.
“He gives everything he has got,” said McGinn. “He leaves everything out there. The fans will always want more than that. They want that, plus results, but they can appreciate, in an individual case, what he has had to deal with, in terms of not being selected.
“When he was tipped as the next captain at Arsenal, at one point, he had to deal with a lot of disappointment, and he got put out on loan. Injuries. But he just kept at it.
“Even this season, along the road, he has been asked to come on for a minute, at a time, or half an hour or a different positions, and he has always given his best. Arsenal’s loss is Celtic’s gain, for sure.”
Tierney’s Arsenal and Celtic records:
Tierney lifted the FA Cup early in his Arsenal tenure, but the London side haven’t added to their silverware cabinet since.
Arsenal did advance to this season’s Champions League semi-finals, but Paris Saint-Germain eventually eliminated them to progress to the final.
Now, he’s set to return to his roots and help Celtic maintain their relentless trophy-winning momentum.
| Club | Games | Goals | Assists | Trophies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic | 170 | 8 | 37 | 11 |
| Arsenal | 143 | 5 | 14 | 1 |