Toon target becomes available after Saturday’s axe and centre-back option signs new deal
Kieran Tierney could be one to watch over the final few weeks of the summer window, but Wolves’ Max Kilman won’t be signing at St James’ Park despite recent links.
Tierney was left out of Arsenal’s squad for their opening day win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday, suggesting he’s now surplus to requirements and likely to leave in search of game time.
Reports suggest the Gunners are willing to sell the left-back if the right offer arrives, although they’ve rejected a loan bid from La Liga side Real Sociedad. We were told in May that Eddie Howe is a fan of the 26-year-old, but was not keen to overpay for the left-back because of his poor injury history.
However, if Arsenal are willing to reduce their £35m demands drastically or accept a loan-to-buy deal that works within our FFP constraints, it might just be a deal we revisit.
As for Kilman, it was reported last week by Ben Jacobs that we’d ‘explored the terms of a deal’ for the Wolves defender. But, he’s committed his future to the club this week, signing a new five-year deal at Molineux after new boss Gary O’Neil named him captain following Ruben Neves’ move to Al-Hilal.
Leigh Griffiths reveals Wolves sacrifice to push through Celtic move
The former Scotland international switched to Parkhead in 2014 when he penned a four-year deal, but the transfer went right down the wire.
Griffiths explained to 26 Podcast: “It was the start of December time my agent phoned me and was like ‘Celtic are interested, would you go in January?’ I was like ‘I would run up the road to Celtic’. Being from Scotland, you know how big Celtic are.
“I think Celtic made two bids in January and they both got rejected. Tam, my agent at the time, said ‘they’re going to make one more bid but you need to go in and make sure it happens. If you go in and say my ‘heart is set on going to Celtic, would you let me go?’
“I ended up not going in, I didn’t want to go in and cause any drama.”
Griffiths then travelled to Penrith on Deadline Day in the hope that the deal could be over the line, but he had to wait to get the all clear from Wolves chief Jez Moxey.
He added: “He (Moxey) said ‘I’m going to let you go but you need to forego any bonuses you have if we win the league.; We were sitting top of the league at the time and I’m not actually sure how much (he would’ve got). It might’ve been £60,000-70,000.
“He said ‘you need to give this up if you’re going to Celtic’. No problem, done. Showered, changed, up the road. Honestly, the smile on my face that day.
“I got to Celtic Park about 8.30pm and leaving at 11.50pm, that’s how close.”
