Celtic are set to sign Kieran Tierney. A move is believed to have been agreed. The timing of it remains up in the air. The Scottish left-back will become a free agent in the summer when his contract with Arsenal runs out. But there is also the possibility that the Hoops are able to agree a loan deal this winter to bring forward that eventual arrival.
Celtic do need to sign a left-back this winter, no matter what happens. That is because Alex Valle is headed for Como after spending the first half of the campaign on loan at Parkhead from FC Barcelona.
What if Celtic are not able to agree an early loan deal with Arsenal for Tierney though? In that case, Greg Taylor would be the only real option available at left-back. That is not ideal with the magnitude of games coming up, especially in the Champions League knockout phase. So, the Hoops might have to keep an eye on alternative options.
As reported by the Daily Mail (via BBC), Manchester United left-back Tyrell Malacia features on a list of Celtic loan options if they fail to bring in Tierney from Arsenal before the transfer deadline. The Premier League club are willing to listen to proposals for the Dutchman.
Celtic interested in signing Manchester United defender
Malacia joined Manchester United in the summer of 2022. But his time at the club so far has been a major disappointment.
The 25-year-old left-back, who has 9 caps for the Dutch national team, has struggled with fitness issues throughout his time at Manchester United. As a result, he has only made 46 appearances for the club until now.
As a short-term option, signing Malacia might be a smart move on the part of Celtic. There would be nothing to lose and a lot to gain if it works out.