Tierney not for sale - yet
● Clubs to monitor left- back at Hampden ● But Celtic will only accept ‘ win- win’ bid
Brendan Rodgers says Kieran Tierney will only leave Celtic if it is a “win- win” situation for the club and the increasingly coveted Scotland left- back.
Atletico Madrid are the latest to show an interest, with the Europa League winners set to send a scout to watch Tierney, right, in tomorrow’s William Hill Scottish Cup final.
The 20- year-old, right, is being monitored by Manchester United, while Bournemouth are understood to be set to make a bid this summer.
Tierney signed a new sixyear contract last November and Celtic are believed to value him at around £ 30 million.
Celtic manager Rodgers said: “I don’t put any speculation or figure around him.
“There is a market for top talents and particularly young talents. But he’s a player who’s not for sale. He’s still got development togo and he is in a great place to learn. There is a dearth of good left- backs and Kieran’ s qualities and huge potential are always going to draw the eyes of top teams.
“He has a really good temperament and that is getting bet- ter in big games. Tactically, he understands the game much better. Physically, he can cope with any league in the world. He has got stronger and faster.
“You see his passion and love for Celtic. I’m sure there will be times over the next few years when that will be tested, because there will be a financial implication.
“He can’t not have that opportunity if it comes but I don’t think it’s something that’s on his radar.
“He knows that to leave Celtic it has to be a win- win situation for him and the club.
“It tends to be more that sort of moral issue, in terms of being on ‘ X’ amount at Celtic and another club can give him more and they give you a big fee as a club. It’s very, very difficult for a young player to turn that down.”
Rodgers, though, insisted that there is more to football than just money. He added: “He’s recognising that, if you’re playing over 15 years of your life and you’re at this club for another four or five years, he might feel this is the happiest he’ll ever be.
“I hear now of so many players of years gone by who’ve never earned the money. People talk of loyalty and say ,‘ Oh, he played this many games’ and ‘ what a player he was.’
“Then they say ,‘ Oh he’s struggling at the minute .’ So you have to look after yourself, that’s the modern world. But he’s a great kid and I’ m sure he’ll be here for a few years yet.”