Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta rejected talk of a close one exit for Kieran Tierney as rumors of a Celtic return grow.
Tierney will become a free agent when his contract expires this summer, leaving the January transfer window as the last time available for Arsenal to receive a transfer fee for the 27-year-old left-back. Injuries have plagued Tierney's career and limited his impact at Real Sociedad during a loan spell last season.
The Scotland international has made just one appearance for the Gunners this season – starting this season Midweek Carabao Cup win over Crystal Palace. Reports emerged this week claiming that Arsenal had decided not to cause it the one-year extension clause in his contract, prompting speculation of a reunion with his boyhood club Celtic.
Arteta was asked about Tierney's future ahead of Arsenal's trip to palaceSelhurst Park on Saturday. “At the moment he is here with us”, insisted the Spanish boss. “I would not play a player who is thinking of leaving or is not committed to us.
“He's fully committed, he's enjoying things after a long spell again with a really bad injury. Live in the moment. He's a big part of the team now. He deserves to be in the team, he played really well another day after another For a long time, that's all I can say.”
The Arsenal boss added that Tierney had not raised the subject of a move away, but revealed in the process that the Scot has previously pushed for a move away.
“He hasn't come to me and said, 'I want to move,'” Arts pointed out. “When in the past we've had any doubts, he's come to me and said, 'I think it's time for me to move on.' That hasn't happened yet.”
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers, who spent three years working with Tierney in Glasgow, refused to back down from the rumours. “We would never talk about a player, especially a young player who is at another club,” the Northern Ireland manager replied bluntly this week.