Kieran Tierney will be able to play for Celtic in the knockout rounds of the Champions League – if he signs on for a second time this month…
The left-back is thought to be extremely close to signing a pre-contract agreement with his boyhood heroes to make a remarkable return six-years after he left for London.
The Arsenal star moved for a then club-record fee of £25 million and has been quite a fan favourite at the Emirates. Gunners supporters took to the Scotland full-back straight away, with his never die attitude and enthusiasm for the game prompting many within the fanbase to make calls for him to be made captain.
Bringing KT up the road ASAP
He’s fallen down the pecking order under Mikel Arteta having never really been given a steady run of games at any point whenever he has returned from injury. Celtic have now moved to wrap up a deal for the former academy graduate and multiple reports state that it could be sealed any day now. The next logical step would be for the club to try and bring him back north this month.
If that is a deal that can be thrashed out and Tierney can become a Celtic player for the second time, he WILL be able to participate for the club in this year’s UEFA Champions League. Mikel Arteta used the defender in last night’s Champions League group stage match with Dinamo Zagreb, however, as per UEFA rules since the 2018/19 season, he will be able to compete for Celtic too.
UEFA rules are clear
The official UEFA website states:
“The UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League knockout hopefuls are allowed to register a maximum of three new eligible players during the winter. Since 2018/19, it no longer matters whether those players have already played in the competition for another club, even for another club still in the competition.”
Obviously Jota and a replacement striker for Kyogo can also be added alongside KT should this trio all arrive as expected.
Paul Gillespie
