Celtic have produced few players straight from Lennoxtown that have gone on to enjoy the success Kieran Tierney has in elite football.
Emerging under Ronny Deila, the boyhood Hoops supporter went on to rack up 170 appearances in green and white, registering eight goals and 37 assists across all competitions [Transfermarkt].
Tierney departed Parkhead in 2019 for Arsenal in a £25 million transfer that ranks joint first in Celtic’s all-time player sales list, and he now finds himself on loan at La Liga outfit Real Sociedad, who are firmly in the mix for continental qualification this term.
Come the summer, it is uncertain where his future lies at the Emirates Stadium following murmurs of a potential switch back to Parkhead for the Scotland international in 2023.
Nothing came to fruition on that front; however, Tierney hasn’t ruled out the prospect of making a dramatic Celtic comeback at some point in his career.
He stated earlier this month: “Who knows? You never know in football; it’s a connection that I’ll always have, somewhere I imagine I’ll always be linked with if I’m to move from any club, so you never know.”
SPFL star earns comparison with former Celtic hero Kieran Tierney
Nearing a half-century of Scotland caps, Tierney is one of the most influential players in Steve Clarke’s national team set-up, and it appears his exploits have begun to rub off on some of his peers.
Speaking to Press and Journal, Aberdeen caretaker Peter Leven has drawn comparisons between defender Jack MacKenzie and the former Celtic hero, citing the former’s ability to drive forward as having distinct similarities to Tierney’s work.
Leven stated: “I said to Jack that he has the attributes, that Tierney thing about him when he can drive forward powerfully on his left. I told him that he needs to bring that more and take on players.
“He just needs to believe in himself a bit more but he has showed that at times this season. Jack has come on leaps and bounds and really impressed me.”
Back in February, journalist Mark Guidi put forward MacKenzie as a potential solution to Celtic’s left-back problem when Alexandro Bernabei was still on the books at Parkhead, and he is clearly an emerging talent in the Scottish Premiership.
With 34 appearances under his belt this term, the 24-year-old is a player to keep an eye on as he continues to progress at Pittodrie [Transfermarkt].
