Celtic now ‘best placed’ to sign Arsenal star as Newcastle United ‘end interest’

Newcastle United are on the road for the first time in the 2023/24 Premier League this season and their opening away match is probably the most daunting they could have hoped for.

Eddie Howe takes his side to the Etihad Stadium to face Premier League and Champions League holders Manchester City knowing a positive result could be a major statement even at this early stage of the campaign. Meanwhile, there is still plenty going on in the transfer window which remains open until the end of the month.

The Magpies are expected to confirm the £35 million capture of full-back Lewis Hall from Chelsea sooner rather than later and that piece of business has now reportedly ended their transfer interest in another target. According to Football Insider, Newcastle have ‘ended their interest’ in signing Kieran Tierney from Arsenal.

United have been linked with the Scotland international for most of the window but the arrival of Hall, also a left back, means the 26-year old will not be heading to St James’ Park this summer. That news has also apparently put Scottish champions Celtic in a strong position to try and bring their former star back to Glasgow’s east end.

The same report claims that the Hoops are now ‘best place’ to sign Tierney after Newcastle withdrew their interest. However, several things seem to be standing in the way of that move happening.

The first is the fee with Celtic apparently unwilling to pay the £15 million to £20 million that the Gunners would want to let him leave while wages would also be a consideration for the Scottish club. Not only that, but an injury to Jurrien Timber means the Gunners are likely to be less keen on letting other full backs leave the squad in the next few weeks than they might have been before losing the Dutch international.