Neil Lennon has tipped former Celtic defender Kieran Tierney to make a move to Manchester City, triggering a sell-on clause for the Parkhead club. The former Celtic manager was in charge when Arsenal signed Tierney but he believes that he is good enough to make it with Pep Guardiola’s English Champions.
Speaking in his Times column, Lennon reckons that Tierney is Arsenal’s best player, which may attract Guardiola to recruit him in the summer.
“When I had him at Celtic, Kieran was really confused about what to do in terms of leaving because the club meant so much to him.
“Ambition and finances meant he made the right call for his career. For me, he’s Arsenal’s best player.
“I could see him going to Manchester City, he’s got all the tools to play for them.
“He’s maybe not got the all-rounded left foot that Andy has, that natural whip, but he’s got everything else and he sees things. He’s so athletic and powerful.”
The left-back made over 170 appearances for Celtic, winning five league titles and three League Cups and Scottish Cups during his time whilst enjoying hero status with supporters as being ‘one of us’. The former Celtic defender left the Scottish Champions in the summer of 2019 for a fee in the region of £25m, becoming the most expensive Scottish export. Celtic will, as they always have for exports, a sell-on fee meaning that if free-spending City come in for him, Celtic could stand to make a fortune from the player.
Arsenal are likely fearing interest in the player and have initiated contract talks with Tierney set to receive a pay hike. If he were to be sold, Celtic would pocket a percentage of the profit from the sale, usually 20-25%. This would be helpful to receive as Celtic are currently undergoing a large rebuilding but you do think that there is a chance if Tierney remains at Arsenal, his value could soar if he impresses further.
Guardiola has already suggested improvements will be made in the summer and is likely to sell a number of players to fund a few marquee signings. Benjamin Mendy and Oleksandr Zinchenko have shared the role but neither have overly impressed with the latter having a poor game in the final defeat to Chelsea.
