Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has left the door open for the possibility of Kieran Tierney returning to the club in January, following confirmation that the left-back has signed a pre-contract agreement to rejoin the Hoops in the summer.

Tierney’s return to Celtic has been a hot topic among fans, with the news of his summer deal sparking questions about whether the club might expedite the move for the current Arsenal player this month.

When asked directly about a potential January move for Tierney, Rodgers responded cautiously: [STV]

“I don’t know. Like I said, we prepared that for the summer. I don’t want to speak too much on it because he is not a Celtic player here and now. But if we were able to do it, we would like to do that. That’s out of our control at this moment in time.”

For Tierney to join Celtic this month, several factors would need to align. Arsenal would have to agree to let the 27-year-old leave on a temporary basis, with Celtic benefiting from the financial boost of advancing to the Champions League knockout stages.

Tierney has struggled for game time under Mikel Arteta this season and has been linked with several clubs across Europe and beyond. However, his connection to Celtic and his desire to return home have played a key role in his decision to sign the pre-contract agreement.

With Alex Valle now returning to Barcelona ahead of a reported move to Serie A side Como, the left-back position at Celtic has become an area of focus. Greg Taylor remains the first-choice option, with Liam Scales deputising when needed, assumably. However, the addition of Tierney—whether in January or the summer—would significantly bolster the position and provide a key asset for Celtic as they compete on multiple fronts.

Celtic fans will now be eagerly watching the January transfer window developments to see if Tierney’s homecoming can be fast-tracked, with Rodgers clearly keen to bring him back into the fold sooner rather than later.