Kieran Tierney will spend the rest of the season at Arsenal before joining Celtic in the summer after agreeing a pre-contract deal with the Scottish club. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is keen for the 27-year-old to stay at the Emirates instead of leaving in this window because of his leadership qualities and the injury problems his side have faced.

Exclusive: Full-back will stay at Emirates in January rather than going on loan to Parkhead ahead of agreed permanent return in summer

The Hoops have secured a pre-contract but hopes of an arrival six months prior to the deal kicking in are fading.

Kieran Tierney will join Celtic this summer but will not be allowed to leave Arsenal in the January window, STV understands. The Scotland defender reaches the end of his deal with the Gunners at the end of the season and agreement has been reached for him to return to his former club when that contract expires.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney will rejoin the Scottish club in the summer.

A pre-contract has already been agreed - but the Scottish champions are keen to bring back their former star in this window

Tierney is set to leave Arsenal for Celtic, be that now or in the summer, and Chris Sutton has now shared his reaction to this news. Sutton reacted to the news about Tierney returning to Celtic on social media. Sutton, of course, has a soft spot for Celtic having played for the club during his career.

Celtic have agreed to a deal to re-sign defender Kieran Tierney from Premier League side Arsenal and are trying to get the transfer over the line by the end of the January transfer window, manager Brendan Rodgers said.