Celtic manager Neil Lennon has said that Kieran Tierney might suffer at Arsenal. The left back has signed for the Gunners on the deadline day. The former Celtic youngster had been linked with a move to the Premier League for quite some time now and the move finally realized with the North London club bringing in the player this summer.
Though Tierney’s former boss has tipped him to do well in the Premier League, he has also said that the 22 year old left back might struggle as well. In a recent interview, Lennon made this claim as he said, “He can go all the way. We forget he’s 22, so he’s not even matured fully yet. He has got so much ahead of him.”
He added, “He has been outstanding for Celtic and Scotland. This might be a big weight off his mind now, but it will be a new challenge for him. It might be difficult for him to adjust to because of his home life in Scotland and how much he loves Celtic. It is a real wrench for him to go. But it is progression, isn’t it?”
The player has been one of the mainstays in the Celtic as well as Scotland lineup in the last few seasons and has attracted attention from a number of clubs from all over Europe. When asked about his decision to leave Celtic this summer, Tierney said, “Yeah, it was the hardest decision in my whole life that I have had to make. I had to speak to my family and my close friends and my agent as well because it’s a hard decision to leave a club that you love so much.”
He added, “People need to know that as well. I feel Arsenal is a massive club and it is a great opportunity for me as well. I am delighted to be here. When I was younger, it was always Celtic. The ambition was Celtic and that was my dream when I was younger. But when you get older… I have done that, I have made my dream, I have lived my dream and I have loved every single minute of it. Now I just feel was the right time to take a step on. I feel this is a great opportunity for me.”
Arsenal started their 2019/20 Premier League campaign on a high note as the Gunners clinched a hard-fought point from their match against Newcastle United. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the only goal of the match in the second half. Manager Unai Emery, however, did not give Tierney a go as he opted for Nacho Monreal to start in the left back position against the Magpies.
With all the hype around the young Scotsman, it was expected that the Spanish manager will include him in the starting lineup but it seems that he will have to wait for his turn to get a go in the Premier League. Now it is to be seen what the future holds for the former Celtic man in his first season in the English top flight.