According to Express, Tottenham Hotspur could line up a cut-price move for Kieran Tierney in January following Celtic‘s misery in the Champions League. The Scottish giants failed to qualify for the main stage of the coveted tournament after falling at the hands of AEK Athens.
Tottenham have identified this as the ideal opportunity to land one of Celtic’s prized assets in the form of Tierney.
Here’s a SWOT analysis of the highly talented fullback who could be an excellent fit for the Lilywhites.
Strengths
Regarded as one of the most promising players in the Scottish Premiership, Kieran Tierney is as an attacking full-back. But, unlike most other modern-day fullbacks, he is not a one-dimensional fullback and thus, is comfortable in both attacking and defensive phases of the game.
Much like Man City’s Kyle Walker or Barcelona’s Jordi Alba, Tierney is a well-rounded fullback, who is blessed with immense physical prowess for a player of his age. But, most importantly, he is an extremely accurate crosser of the ball, making him tailor-made for the Premier League.
He is a good tackler as well, having averaged three tackles per game last season. Additionally, Tierney has the pace to burn which enables him not only to keep up with agile wingers but also to provide a threat in attacking junctures of the game.
Weaknesses
It’s hard to deduce a significant weakness in Tierney’s gameplay. But, if we are to pick one, it would certainly be his lack of experience at the highest level of football.
Despite making almost 80 appearances in the Scottish top flight, Tierney is yet to be tested on the bigger stage with his six games in the Champions League last season being his only real experience at top level football.
Opportunities
A move to Tottenham Hotspur would be the next step for Kieran Tierney given Mauricio Pochettino’s ability to nurture young talents. The 21-year-old still has room for improvement and the Argentine mastermind certainly has the quality to bring the best out of him at Spurs.
Furthermore, he will be identified as Danny Rose’s replacement at Tottenham.
Threats
Although Rose’s possible exit in the winter transfer window will reduce the competition for the left-back position, Tierney will still have to compete with Ben Davies for a first-team spot.
In addition, his lack of experience in English top flight could mean that he will take time settling into life at North London.