Manchester United have reportedly reignited their interest in Celtic wonderkid Kieran Tierney and are set to rival Arsenal in the pursuit of the left-back.
According to The Sun, Manchester United have been scouting and keeping a keen eye on Celtic wonderkid Kieran Tierney for a while now and have joined Arsenal in the race to sign the left-back. The Red Devils have reignited their interest in the player after running the rule over the 20-year-old.
Kieran Tierney has really come to the fore as one of the most heavily sought-after left-back prospects in world football at the present moment. The 20-year-old had a massively productive season at Celtic, establishing himself as a regular under Brendan Rodgers.
And his performances have seen him become a part of the Scottish national setup as well. 40 appearances in total at club level, with 12 assists and 2 goals to show for his efforts, the 20-year-old has shown he is equally adept at contributing on both ends of the pitch.
The aforementioned attribute lends the player an image that has attracted the best of clubs, especially from the Premier League. Arsenal struggled a lot in the recently concluded season and their lack of depth at the back was one of the primary reasons of their underwhelming campaign.
#ManUtd boss Jose Mourinho is believed to have turned his attention to Celtic defender Kieran Tierney.
Gossip ➡ https://t.co/1OfFYQV1iw pic.twitter.com/EllMUZ3d6o
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 19, 2017
Kieran Tierney represents everything good about Celtic Football Club ? pic.twitter.com/TaWRZr4QbT
— Stand Up For Celtic (@StandForCeltic) June 16, 2017
Nacho Monreal performed admirably but, being on the wrong side of 30, could not pose the same numbers as his younger and fresher counterparts in the league. Kieran Gibbs, meanwhile, failed to impress even as a backup to the Spaniard, accentuating the need for addition in the said position.
Arsenal have secured the services of Sead Kolasinac on a free transfer, who is sure to be the first-choice at left-back. However, Tierney could serve as a credible cover for the Bosnian, in case of injuries or depending upon the rotational frequency of Wenger, and he will be sure to gain regular minutes due to Arsenal’s fixture congestion, with the Gunners set to play on Thursdays.
Manchester United have Luke Shaw in their squad. But, the English international has failed to convince Jose Mourinho as to his viability, which has led the Portuguese to field Matteo Darmian in the position.
While there are reports that Shaw will be given a chance, the arrival of Tierney will exert more pressure on the Southampton man to prove himself, which may result in either a breakthrough season for Shaw under Mourinho or his eventual exit.
The player is valued around the £15 million mark, which is unlikely to faze either Manchester United or Arsenal. United may edge Arsenal over the prospect of Champions League football. However, it would be interesting to see whether Celtic manage to keep hold of their prized possession beyond the summer.
