If Kieran Tierney’s return to prominence these previous couple of months is something to go by, then Celtic could have pulled off the swoop of the century in securing the companies of the Parkhead favorite on a free switch.
Contemporary from making his first begin in virtually two years in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw in opposition to Brentford on the weekend, the full-back appears to have consigned these persistent issues about his bodily fragility to the dustbin.
You’ll be able to’t assist however marvel if Mikel Arteta, a person not averse to somewhat self-introspection, is having bother attending to sleep at night time eager about his membership’s failure to take up the choice to retain Tierney’s companies for one more 12 months.
For thus lengthy it appeared Tierney had misplaced the belief of his supervisor following the cursed luck that noticed him spend huge swathes of his time in north London on the therapy desk. Groin, knee, ankle, hamstring — you title it, he’s damage it.
However one a part of his anatomy that has clearly been untroubled has been his coronary heart, evidenced each by the steely approach he’s fought his approach again into the first-team image and by the conviction of his will to return ‘house’ to his old flame Celtic.
It has emerged that the 27-year-old spurned choices as numerous and enticing as Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, Sevilla and Everton to commit his greatest years to life again in Glasgow’s east finish.
Tierney is hailed by his Arsenal team-mates, though his aim in opposition to Brentford was dominated out
Celtic-bound Tierney is wanting stronger than ever and getting extra possibilities to play at Arsenal
Is it doable that MIkel Arteta will remorse permitting Tierney to return to Celtic so simply?
The truth that the membership have picked him up on a free switch simply six years after gathering £25million for his companies should really feel like some type of player-trading voodoo magic to these envious eyes watching from throughout town at Rangers.
Actuality is actually starting to hit house for Arsenal followers, who’ve been flooding social media with laments over the lack of a person who so clearly offers 100 per cent to his workforce in a approach that simply appears alien within the fashionable period.
The love wherein he’s held by supporters and team-mates alike was evident within the anguish skilled by all when a first-half header was dominated out by VAR on the weekend.
With Arsenal bothered by accidents throughout the board this season, Arteta has needed to get artistic in sure areas of the pitch in his bid to attempt to hold tempo with Liverpool whereas making inroads within the Champions League. In a fully-fit Tierney, he has a versatile pal in a position to play anyplace on the left-hand facet of the pitch, with the Scot having been deployed at left-back, left midfield and even left wing since reappearing on the flip of the 12 months.
He can anticipate loads extra recreation time between now and the tip of the season, and nobody deserves a fairytale end greater than the person who has so selflessly and doggedly endured by way of all of the setbacks and rejections which have befallen him.
Ought to Arsenal end off the job in opposition to Actual Madrid within the second leg of their quarter-final epic on Wednesday night, Celtic might but discover themselves with a Champions League winner of their squad subsequent season. It might be a redemption story to trump all of them.
Jeremie Frimpong is the present that simply retains on giving for Celtic
Good enterprise on full-backs could possibly be a little bit of a theme at Parkhead this summer time, particularly when Jeremie Frimpong confirms his exit from Bayer Leverkusen within the coming weeks.
The Dutch worldwide is extensively anticipated to interchange Actual Madrid-bound Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool, with Frimpong having given the most important trace but of his future in a comical second caught on digicam when on responsibility with the Netherlands final month.
Frimpong was filmed greeting worldwide colleague Ryan Gravenberch and cheekily mocking up a heavy Scouse accent because the pair embraced warmly within the Dutch camp on Nations League responsibility, with Anfield skipper Virgil van Dijk wanting on knowingly within the background.
Jeremie Frimpong was a vastly standard determine throughout his time at Celtic Park
The complete-back is now a star for the Netherlands and Leverkusen, with Liverpool his subsequent cease
Celtic will likely be laughing all the best way to the financial institution, similar to Frimpong, if he joins Anfield giants
The previous Celtic flyer, who left Parkhead for Leverkusen in an £11.5million deal in 2021, is known to have been in common contact with Liverpool boss Arne Slot and whereas there isn’t any scarcity of curiosity in a person who has 41 aim involvements throughout the final two seasons, his transfer to the north west seems inevitable.
No matter the place he finally ends up, nevertheless, Celtic will likely be laughing all the best way to the financial institution having secured a 30 per cent minimize of the income from his Leverkusen sale.
The 24-year-old is known to have a £34million launch charge constructed into his contract with the reigning Bundesliga champions, which means any sale at that worth will lead to a £22.5m revenue — of which Celtic can be assured £6.75m.
So, taking his unique sale under consideration, that will make it £18.25m banked on Frimpong — not unhealthy for a participant signed for £350,000 from Manchester Metropolis again in 2019!
Fringe man Luis Palma is on verge of profitable TWO titles this time period
Fairly quickly, Celtic winger Luis Palma will be capable of declare that he has received two titles this season, albeit by making solely a modest contribution to every of them.
When summer time comes spherical, the Honduras worldwide who joined Olympiakos on mortgage in January could have received championships with each his mother or father membership and his momentary one.
The Greek facet received their nation’s Tremendous League with a victory in opposition to AEK Athens on Sunday night time, and Celtic require only one extra level to repeat the title success that Palma was a part of a 12 months in the past.
Luis Palma will be capable of say he has received titles with Celtic and mortgage membership Olympiakos this time period
The Parkhead fringe man has appeared in simply six league matches for the Greek facet to this point
Palma arrived at Parkhead with a great repute however the transfer hasn’t actually labored out
Whether or not the 25-year-old could have any medals to point out for his efforts this season is one other matter. He has performed in solely eight league video games for Celtic, not sufficient to make him eligible underneath SPFL guidelines.
And, regardless of a aim and an help within the Greek Cup semi-final, he has appeared in simply six league matches for Olympiakos, elevating doubts as as to whether they’ll take up their possibility to purchase.
On paper, it has been a profitable season for Palma, whose Celtic contract has three extra years to run. On grass, the story is somewhat completely different for the participant whose future is nothing if not unsure.
There’s solely two Stiliyan Petrovs … and one is standing for Reform!
Quite a lot of Celtic followers have been forgiven a double take when it was introduced the opposite day that Stiliyan Petrov is to face as a candidate for Reform UK within the forthcoming native elections.
The favored Bulgarian is a celebrated former Celtic midfielder, in addition to a revered soccer pundit, however he’s no person’s thought of an up-and-coming politician with the get together led by Nigel Farage.
In fact, because it shortly grew to become clear, it’s not that Stiliyan Petrov who has been confirmed as a candidate for Warwickshire County Council’s Lapworth and West Kenilworth ward, however his 22-year-old son of the identical title.
Celtic followers have been shocked after they noticed the title Stiliyan Petrov related to Reform UK
It turned out to be the Celtic legend’s son, additionally Stiliyan, pictured with get together chief Nigel Farage
Former Celtic midfielder Petrov is pictured with Stiliyan junior when his son was a child
In a video that featured him doing keepy-ups and rewiring a fuse field in his job as an electrician, Stiliyan junior promised to face up for working-class folks and the youth of this nation with ‘a voice that can truly characterize them’.
The son of Bulgaria’s most capped participant will presumably additionally take a tricky stand on immigration and help the type of populist, right-wing insurance policies which might be anathema to a big proportion of Celtic’s help.
Some followers shortly voiced their anger on social media, and it’s most likely no coincidence that Stiliyan senior has now provided a diplomatic response to the information — distancing himself not from his son, however from the politics he stands for.
‘To start with, I’ve by no means been into politics and I by no means will likely be,’ mentioned Petrov. ‘My son is passionate in regards to the world and I’ve strongly inspired that.
‘Though we haven’t agreed in sure circumstances, he’s his personal man. He’s an unbiased, younger man who works onerous, he’s pleased to assist the group and he attracts his personal path in life.
‘With younger children now, they’ve their very own decisions. However I’m miles away from politics. I don’t have an curiosity in any respect.’
Elena Sadiku is aware of it is win or bust for the remainder of the marketing campaign
Elena Sadiku is refusing to concede defeat within the SWPL title race, insisting as a substitute that her Celtic workforce can nonetheless end prime of the desk by profitable all seven of their remaining video games.
The defending champions earned a 1-1 draw with Rangers at Broadwood on Sunday, when their substitute, Amy Gallacher, cancelled out Kirsty Howat’s early opener.
Whereas they would like to have ended a winless run that now extends to 5 video games, Celtic edged a degree nearer to the highest, because of Hibs’ defeat by Hearts.
Sadiku admits that her Celtic strugglers cannot afford to drop any extra factors in SWPL
Amy Gallacher celebrates scoring a welcome equaliser for Celtic in 1-1 draw with Rangers
Fourth-placed Celtic at the moment are eight adrift, with the identical factors complete as fifth-placed Hearts, however Sadiku noticed sufficient from her gamers in opposition to Rangers to consider that the weekend was a turning level.
Of their subsequent two matches, in opposition to Hibs and Motherwell this week, the intention is to take up the place they left off within the derby. And in the event that they do, Sadiku believes they’ll collect much-needed momentum because the season approaches its climax.
‘We’ve got to go and win each recreation between now and the tip of the season,’ mentioned the Swede. ‘We’ve got to consider that’s doable.
‘It’s a enormous recreation for us now on Wednesday night time in opposition to Hibs however they’re all enormous video games now. I used to be disillusioned to not get the three factors however I used to be happy with the second half as a result of the gamers got here out and confirmed how a lot they wished to win the sport.
‘That is the week the place we flip issues over. Proper now the temper is sweet within the camp. We’re in it till the tip. We’ve got every part in our fingers.’
