Why Kieran Tierney and Brendan Rodgers Friday night Celtic reunion has got people talking so much

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Brendan Rodgers and the Celtic players have taken a few days break from training at Lennoxtown, using the time to recharge ahead of tough challenges on the horizon.

Rodgers has still been on club duties, however, and on Friday night travelled down to London to support Celtic FC Foundation’s annual fundraising gala dinner.

Martin O’Neill, Chris Sutton and Rod Stewart were all in attendance alongside Rodgers as the big names turned out to help the charity raise cash.

And there was another special guest whose attendance has sparked a big reaction online – former Celtic star Kieran Tierney.

The Arsenal defender was snapped chatting with Rodgers at the event, and the Foundation shared the picture on social media.

Many still see a future for Celtic and Kieran Tierney

That prompted an avalanche of ‘bring him home’ and ‘up the road’ messages from excited fans who can still picture a Tierney return to his boyhood club at some point in his career.

Of course, the Friday night photograph does not mean that it is happening. Kieran Tierney hardly hides his links to Celtic, and his taking the chance to support the Foundation during injury downtime is all that’s happened here.

However, with Tierney very much on the fringes of the Arsenal squad and his contract expiring in 2026, many are wondering whether Celtic can pull his return out of the bag.

Given Rodgers is in place as manager, it seems more likely than ever. The Celtic boss helped develop the left-back into the elite, valuable asset that was sold to the English club for £25m back in 2019.

The two shared some fantastic times in Glasgow, winning trebles and even going undefeated domestically in the 2016/17 season.

Currently, Celtic’s options in the position are Greg Taylor, whose deal expires at the end of the season, and Alex Valle, who is only on loan from Barcelona. So, if the finances for all parties are right, there is room for a big left-back signing next summer.

The alignment of circumstances is certainly intriguing, and that’s what is generating much of the online discussion after the photo was posted.

Nostalgia is a big currency for football fans, and a Tierney return would bring a lot of excitement, even with his well-known injury issues of late. As we can see, the smallest hint of it prompts a strong reaction.

Celtic spell was ‘ultimate’ experience for Kieran Tierney

The feeling is mutual, too.

Tierney will always have Celtic on his mind. He still regards his time at the club as his ultimate ‘dream’ in football.

In an interview this summer, he made it clear he had no regrets about leaving Scotland but couldn’t hide his love for wearing green and white.

Tierney said: “I don’t regret it. I still miss it, but I knew life would never be the same. I was living my dream.

“Being a footballer is the dream, but playing for Celtic was the ultimate. I left that to go and challenge myself in the Premier League and come up against the best to see how I’d cope.”

With his time at Arsenal potentially coming to an end sooner rather than later, a Celtic return will obviously be a consideration for him when assessing his options.

Whether that results in anything tangible is an entirely different story. It’s clear that many Celtic fans will keep the candle burning in the meantime.