BRENDAN RODGERS has refused to close the door on a dramatic return to Celtic for Kieran Tierney.
The former fans’ favourite has been linked with a Parkhead reunion alongside the returning manager after leaving for Arsenal in a £25million deal in the summer of 2018.
However, the Scotland international left-back is on his way out of the London club after dropping down the pecking order at the turn of the year.
HAPPY DAYS…Brendan Rodgers and Kieran Tierney celebrate another Celtic victory.
Tierney has also been mentioned along with Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United as the one-time Hoops managerial target assembles a squad to handle the rigours of domestic and Champions League football.
Rodgers accepts that the treble winners cannot afford to splash massive amounts of cash on the 26-year-old boyhood Celtic fan, but a loan switch cannot be ruled out, as CQN suggested last month.
The 50-year-old gaffer said: “There’s been lots of players linked with here with me coming back.
“All I know is Kieran is like myself, we loved our time here. When I spoke to him down the road in the Premier League, every time we met up all we talked about was Celtic.
“He’s a Celtic man, but he’s at a fantastic club in Arsenal.
“You can just never say never in football. Who knows what might happen?
SMILES BETTER…Greg Taylor with the Scottish Cup last month.
“We wouldn’t be able to buy Kieran for £25-£30million, that’s for sure, or the figures I see banded about.
“I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t be able to pay the huge salary he’s on.
“However, one can never tell. Kieran has an incredible history with the club.
“He was a massive part of my time here, so there will always be that link. You never know.”
Rodgers, speaking to the Scottish Sun, added: “What I would say is that we have a couple of really good left-backs here already.
“I have been really impressed with young Greg Taylor. Watching him come in and settling in at Celtic, he’s been excellent.
“Alexandro Bernabei is still young and adapting, but I’ve liked those two during the course of pre-season.”
