Desperate Arsenal make improved £17.5m transfer bid for Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney… which is still short of valuation

ARSENAL have gone back in for Kieran Tierney but Celtic have sent them packing again.

SunSport revealed last week the Gunners had an opening bid of £15million rejected by the Scottish champions.

PA:Empics Sport

Celtic are open to selling the defender, but the Premier League side’s opening gambit was way short of Celtic £25m valuation.

And SunSport understands skint Arsenal’s second bid is not much better at a mere £17.5m for the 12-cap Scottish international.

If any potential suitors match the Hops asking price, it would smash the club’s record £19m sale of Moussa Dembele to Lyon last year.

Arsenal will need to move fast as Everton and Napoli are closely monitoring the 22-year-old’s situation.

Celtic chief Peter Lawwell is using the potential move of Aaron Wan-Bissaka to Manchester United for around £50m as a negotiating tool.

Tierney has a contract until 2023 and is now recovering from a double hernia operation at the end of May.

And the Gunners are keen to replace Spaniard Nacho Monreal, 33, whose contract runs out this summer.

But boss Unai Emery only has a summer kitty of around £40m after missing out on a Champions League spot.