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Former top-flight star Marvin Bartley does not think Celtic will be able to get anywhere near meeting Kieran Tierney’s wage demands if he leaves Arsenal next month, especially with other clubs also sure to be keen.
Tierney is expected to leave the Emirates on a free transfer next summer after his club decided against activating a 12-month extension of his contract.
Bartley, while admitting his disappointment at seeing Arsenal take that decision, insisted that Tierney has been good for the club whenever he has been on the pitch.
“Firstly disappointed that he is being allowed to leave the club without triggering that year option”, Bartley told Clyde 1’s Superscoreboard.
“I know that he has had his injury problems, but when he was playing he was very good for Arsenal.
“So good that he had been linked with other clubs, I think Manchester City at the time and maybe Real Madrid.
“So it is massively disappointing that he is being allowed to leave. He played in the cup against Palace, very, very good down on the left-hand side.
“I know that [Mikel] Arteta wants to play with inverted full-backs, but you need different options and he is one of them that, looking back at the Everton game where Everton drew, Arsenal could have done with him bombing down the outside.”
Highlighting Tierney’s strength areas as a player Bartley added: “I think he is athletic, he has good quality of crosses as well.”
Once Tierney leaves Arsenal, Bartley believes that showing interest in signing the 27-year-old will be a no-brainer for his former club Celtic.
However, he cast doubt on whether Celtic will be able to compete financially for the defender, especially with other clubs also sure to be keen.
“I agree that what Celtic can do with him, it is a no-brainer for them.
“I just don’t think that financially they will be able to get anywhere near what he is on now.
“I think there will be other clubs.”
Tierney is a product of Celtic’s youth academy and managed 170 appearances for them before being snapped up by Arsenal in 2019.
His stint with Arsenal has been marred by injuries.
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