Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that the club have reached a pre-contract agreement with Kieran Tierney, paving the way for the left-back’s return to his boyhood team in the summer.
The Arsenal defender, who left Celtic for the English Premier League in 2019 for a record £25m fee, has been heavily linked with a move back to Glasgow in recent weeks. Now, Rodgers has revealed that Tierney’s return is officially set for the 2025/26 season.
Brendan Rodgers confirmed the news, saying: [STV]
“Ideally, it would happen in January, but he’s still an Arsenal player. We have agreed that a move will definitely take place in the summer; if a move can take place beforehand, then great.”
CeltsAreHere revealed on our Substack last week that Kieran Tierney had agreed on a pre-contract.
Celtic will now look to explore the possibility of bringing Tierney back on loan for the remainder of the current season.
Tierney has struggled for game time at the Emirates under Mikel Arteta and has been linked with moves to clubs across Europe. However, his desire to return to Celtic has played a key role in the club securing his long-term future.
Rodgers also addressed the situation regarding Barcelona loanee Alex Valle, confirming that the young left-back has returned to Barcelona ahead of a move to Serie A side Como. Valle, who joined Celtic on loan in the summer, had limited opportunities at the club and will now look to further his development in Italy.
“Alex won’t play again, sadly. He is in Barcelona at the moment, and he will move on to another team.”
