Arsenal Aim to Close £25m Deal for Celtic Left-back Kieran Tierney Before US Pre-Season Tour

Arsenal are closing in on a deal for Celtic Left-back Kieran Tierney, as they hope to complete the deal before the start of their US pre-season tour. 

Unai Emery has made the defender one of his top priorities this summer and it is thought that the Gunners are close to capturing the defender for £20m plus add-ons.

Emery's desperation to land Tierney has led to him considering sending defender Carl Jenkinson to Glasgow in order to get the deal over the line.

According to ​The Sun, the transfer fee is likely to rise to £25m from performance related add-ons such as Tierney's appearances and the Gunners securing ​Champions League football. 

Reports have claimed that the Scotsman will return to the UK from Celtic's Austrian tour to complete the move but manager Neil Lennon has stated that the youngster left the training camp to continue rehab from hernia surgery last month. 

Despite being only being 22 years old, Tierney has made over 170 appearances for Celtic and won eight major honours for the club.

The youngster has experience playing on the highest stage, representing Celtic in the Champions League, Europa League as well as representing Scotland 12 times internationally. 

​Arsenal's failure to secure Champions League football last season has led to it be widely reported that the Gunners have only £45m available to spend this summer. 

Securing the services of Tierney would be a real statement of intent from Emery as he looks to sure up the weaknesses in Arsenal's defence to take the Gunners back to the Champions League next season. 

Should the deal progress, it would make Tierney the most expensive Scottish player in history, topping Oliver Burke's £15m move to RB Leipzig from ​West Brom in 2017.