Arsenal: The expert opinion on Kieran Tierney

Arsenal are chasing Celtic defender Kieran Tierney hard with two failed bids in the past week. But should the Gunners sign the 22-year-old, who would they be acquiring and what should the expectations be? I spoke to Scottish football data analyst Jamie at Modern Fitba to find out.

Arsenal want to sign Kieran Tierney. The Gunners have made two bids for the Celtic defender already this summer, the first of which was £15 million and the second valued at £18 million. Both were rejected. For those who do not watch much Scottish football, Tierney may not be a name that they have heard before.

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So, to investigate what type of player Tierney is and what the expectations should be if he does indeed arrive in north London, I spoke to Scottish football data analyst Jamie of Modern Fitba. You can follow Modern Fitba on Twitter @ModernFitba and I would very much recommend that you keep tabs on their stuff. Some of their data analysis is excellent.

Here is what he said when I asked him about Tierney.

1. How would you rate Tierney as a prospect in the present and what do you think his potential is?

He is arguably already a well-rounded player with a very clear playing style and is peerless in Scottish football. It’s hard to determine where Tierney’s ceiling is, he is an intelligent footballer who already knows when to go, when to sit back, when and where to make a run. He has a captain’s mentality and a willingness to improve not only personally but to also push his teammates to do better. I think he could comfortably adapt his game to whatever system he is put in.

2. Do you think he can handle the competitive step up to the Premier League?

I don’t think it’s even up for debate, he’s just turned 22 and already has 21 appearances in the group and knockout stages of the Champions League and Europa League. There is a commonly held opinion that Celtic’s performances in Europe in some way undermine those appearances but both Victor Wanyama and Virgil van Dijk played for the Celtic sides that were humbled against better opposition and they’ve shown when playing within a side with better investment that can compete at that level that they are more than capable of performing.

I think there is also a perception that playing in Scotland is a hindrance, but It’s not the case at all. There is a long list of players who have made the move down south and thrived in the environment. As well as Van Dijk and Wanyama, Andy Robertson is a recent example of this. Even beyond that, the Premier League is littered with decent squad players who have also played in Scotland. I’d even go as far to say that outside the top six there is little difference between the Premier League and the Championship (Wolves being a case of a side that with the right investment can capitalize on this) and there is a wealth of talent from Scotland currently doing well in England’s second tier.

3. What are his major strengths?

He plays on the front foot and with his pace and strength works well at linking with the attack. When he is not in the side, Celtic struggle to really penetrate down the left and his overlapping runs provide a key part of how Celtic breakdown sides that defend deep. Defensively he is solid and is very good at limiting the attacker’s options when one on one.

4. What aspects of his game does he need to work on?

It’s hard to say what he needs to work on, and I’d say that any perceived flaws in his game are nothing outside of what you would expect from any young player that will iron themselves out with more games. There is no aspect of his game that I would say he is lacking in to the point of it being a fundamental flaw.

It seems as though Arsenal could be signing an absolute stormer. For £25 million, which is what Celtic are demanding, he could be an absolute bargain.