According to former Celtic striker John Hartson, Hoops left-back Kieran Tierney has emerged as Manchester United’s Number 1 target, but he should continue his steady rise to the top for one more season at Parkhead before the Scottish giants consider an offer for him.
Tierney, 20, has become highly in-demand following a breakthrough season for the Bhoys last term, and a lot of topflight sides are keen on his services.
Since making his senior team debut for the perennial Scottish Premiership winners in April 2015, Tierney has gone on to make 85 appearances for the club, earning plaudits along the way and getting capped for the Scotland national team on 4 occasions.
The sensational youngster’s imminent exit from the Glasgow outfit is a matter of “when” and not “if”, but Hartson believes it shouldn’t be this summer.
Celtic’s most expensive signing of all time told the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast (cited on goal): “I’m hearing he’s Manchester United’s number one target. But why on earth would Brendan Rodgers sell Tierney right now?
“If I’m Brendan Rodgers, I’m saying to [Jose] Mourinho, ‘Let him have another season here, keep your £25-30m for now, he’s got Champions League football, he loves playing for Celtic’.
“Give him another year, 18 months at this level until he becomes more of a man, more established, more mature physically, then in 12-18 months’ time, there is no doubt Kieran Tierney will go on and play for one of the top three or four clubs in England, and become one of the best left-backs in Europe.
“I have every confidence in Kieran Tierney to become a top, top player. He is a great player now, but he can only get better.”
Kieran would have the opportunity to prove his true worth to Europe and willing suitors as from next month when Celtic come up against Bayern Munich, PSG and Anderlecht in the group stages of the Champions League.
The mouthwatering fixtures against the German and French champions represent the youngster’s stiffest and truest tests to date, and a lot of scouts from the big sides would be watching him in those 4 games.
Should he pass in flying colours, Celtic could even find it hard to keep him beyond the January winter transfer window.
