Celtic open pre-contract talks with Scotland star Kieran Tierney

Celtic have begun negotiations to sign Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney on a pre-contract deal, with the Scotland star keen on a return to his former club.

The 27-year-old reaches the end of his contract at the Emirates this summer and the London side will not be offering him a new deal.

Tierney has long been linked with a move back to the club where he made his name and enjoyed plenty of trophy success.

It’s understood a projected pay cut is unlikely to be a stumbling block in talks, with the left-back wanting to return to Glasgow.

The Scottish champions are hopeful of concluding a deal for Tierney to become a Celtic player again this summer. If agreement on that is reached then they could begin work on persuading Arsenal to allow the defender to move north this January.

Tierney came through Celtic’s youth system and went on to win four Premiership titles, two Scottish Cups and two League Cups, as well as being named as Scotland’s Young Player of the Year for three consecutive seasons.

He was sold to Arsenal for a club record fee in 2019 and went on to play 125 times and win the FA Cup.

However, the Scot’s time in London has been blighted with injuries, with the defender sidelined with a shoulder injury, knee surgery and hamstring issues that limited his opportunities over his four-and-a-half years with the Gunners.