“One of the best players in Britain,” John McGinn hails Kieran Tierney

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The Celtic Star

·20 March 2025

“One of the best players in Britain,” John McGinn hails Kieran Tierney

Scotland vice-captain John McGinn has hailed Kieran Tierney as “one of the best players in Britain” following the Arsenal defender’s remarkable return to Celtic…

Left to right Scotland’s John McGinn,captain Andrew Robertson and Kieran Tierney celebrate after scoring during the friendly match between Austria and Scotland at Ernst Happel stadium in Vienna, Austria on March 29, 2022. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images)

The 27-year-old defender has agreed to a pre-contract with Celtic and will return to his boyhood club after his contract with Arsenal concludes this summer. Tierney’s return is a significant boost for Brendan Rodgers’ side, especially since he remains highly respected by the Arsenal fanbase.

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McGinn and Tierney set to start for Scotland this evening against Greece

And, Aston Villa skipper John McGinn, who has joined forces with Tierney for Scotland’s UEFA Nations League matches against Greece this evening and Sunday, is certain of the exceptional talent his international teammate offers.

Scotland’s defender Kieran Tierney controls the ball during the UEFA Euro 2024 group A qualification football match between Scotland and Spain at Hampden Park stadium in Glasgow, on March 28, 2023. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

“It is good to have him back! We were winding him up about playing left wing last week in the Champions League,” John McGinn said as reported by The Herald, ahead of Steve Clarke’s men’s Nations League relegation first leg playoff in Athens tonight.

“Tierney is one of the best players, not only in Scotland, but in Britain”

“A fit and firing Kieran Tierney is one of the best players, not only in Scotland, but in Britain, so we are grateful to have him back. He is a big character among the boys and, thankfully, I can still play my music and leave KT to it.”

Tierney has faced a challenging period with injuries in recent years and has not played for Scotland since being carried off on a stretcher during the Euro 2024 match against Switzerland last summer.

A hamstring injury sustained in Germany sidelined Tierney for several months, and although his playing time at Arsenal has been limited this season, he continues to be an important player for Steve Clarke’s side.

Scotland’s defender Kieran Tierney (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images)

“He never seems to get a bit of luck”

John McGinn added: “He never seems to get a bit of luck. It’s always something serious when he gets injured.”

“His injury was a freak one when he was keeping up with one of the fastest players in the tournament. It was a massive loss for us at the time.”

“For him to be out for so long was probably difficult for him to deal with, but now he is back, getting a bit more minutes for Arsenal, and we’ll see what he will do in the summer.”

Kieran Tierney applauds the Celtic support after the 3-0 win over Albion Rovers in the Scottish cup on 22 January 2017. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Celtic supporters are eagerly awaiting KT’s return this summer

Celtic supporters are eagerly awaiting the day when their homegrown hero dons the green and white once more. With McGinn’s strong praise, Hoops fans can be confident they are bringing in a player who remains capable of performing at the highest level, as the club aims for sustained domestic success and improved results in Europe.

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