John Hartson believes that Celtic could have got an extra £5m for Kieran Tierney.
The transfer of the defender dominated the summer transfer window before going through on the final day for £25m. A record fee for Celtic and the highest ever amount paid for a Scottish player.
It was a bitter sweet moment for Celtic fans, the money was good but at the same time as their side were scrambling about for players to get through the Champions League qualifiers the market in England rated Oli McBurnie at £20m.
Tierney has shown promise in two cup performances as he recovers from injury and looks set for his EPL debut next weekend following the international break.
Hartson was a £2m teenager at Arsenal more than 20 years ago. After watching KT playing against Standard Liege he is convinced that the London side got the better end of the record breaking deal.
Speaking to The Sun he explained:
At £25million, Celtic got good money for Tierney but if you look at it, and I am being honest here, then Arsenal probably got him on the cheap. Look at the fact that Manchester United paid £50m for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and average players are going for £30m or £40m down south.
Tierney is certainly not an average player. I thought Celtic could have held out for another £5m or so but it is still good money they have banked, especially due to the fact Tierney has come through their ranks and hasn’t cost the club a penny.
He will look to push into the Arsenal first-team as quickly as he can now. I think Unai Emery is trying to build something special and Kieran will be a big part of that.
Arsenal have been a bit tight with the purse strings in recent years with the stadium-building but you only have to look at the players they have brought in this summer, Nicholas Pepe for £70m, and paid £25m for Tierney. They paid big money for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette a couple of seasons ago. Arsenal are on the right track again.
Arsenal are currently sitting in third place in the EPL and travel to Sheffield United on Monday October 23.
