Greg Taylor Vs Kieran Tierney: Analysing The Celtic Left-Back Conundrum – Scouting Report

Celtic have a tough decision to make.

Celtic academy product Kieran Tierney is set to leave Arsenal this summer.

His contract expires at the end of the season, and he’s been heavily linked to a move to The Bhoys.

Many consider it an easy choice to bring him back after he won five league titles with Celtic. 

However, Kieran Tierney’s replacement, Greg Taylor, has been a consistent performer.

Signed from Kilmarnock in 2019, Taylor has locked down the left-back position since Tierneys departure.

He has been an essential part of the Hoops success in that time.

Many would predict the end of Taylor’s Celtic career if Tierney returned. 

Despite the excitement from many of Celtic’s supporters over the possible return of one of their own, Brendan Rodgers has made his opinion clear on the matter.

After being asked recently in a post-match press conference about Celtic fans chanting Tierney’s name, the Northern Irishman gave a firm reply. 

Rodgers described it as “disrespectful” to Celtic’s current left-back Greg Taylor.

He highlighted the contributions the Scottish international has made to Celtic over the past several seasons.

Yet, is this just excellent man-management from Rodgers, or does it give us insight into his intentions in the market? 

This scout report will analyse Greg Taylor and Kieran Tierney to discover which player best suits Celtic.

The report will focus on the player’s attributes and highlight which option makes the most logistical sense from a recruitment standpoint for Celtic.  

Is Kieran Tierney Worth it? 

Tierney has put in some remarkable performances for Arsenal over the past five years.

He was one of the standout players during seasons when Arsenal struggled after the departure of Arsène Wenger.

He’s also been invaluable for Scotland, picking up 46 caps and playing at two major tournaments. 

Tierney would be deemed the best player in the Scottish Premiership with his arrival at Celtic.

Yet why would a player of his calibre move to a level he’s clearly above? 

Well, clubs at a higher level may no longer be willing to take a risk on Tierney.

Since joining Arsenal, he’s been injured for a total of 552 days.

These long-term muscle injuries are definitely a huge concern. 

Celtic would more than likely need to make Tierney their highest earner to attract him to the club.

Paying substantial wages to players who could miss a large proportion of the season is a huge risk. 

Greg Taylor Reliability 

Greg Taylor has consistently played over 30 every full season for Celtic.

In both the 2023/24 and 2024/25 season he’s played over 40 games.

Taylor’s availability is a huge asset when you compare him with Tierney. 

He’s only had a couple of significant injuries at his time with Celtic.

Both were hamstring injuries, with the longest seeing him miss being just over three weeks of action. 

Greg Taylor Positioning 

Taylor’s being financially less of a burden on the club and providing dependability makes him a more attractive option to the key decision-makers at Parkhead.

Although many forget the key role he plays for Brendan Rodgers side. 

Rodgers’ tactical set-up utilises Taylor as an inverted full-back.

This is a key part of Celtic’s desire to play the ball through the thirds.

Taylor provides an option for Celtic’s central defenders to find as they seek to progress play. 

Here, Taylor takes up the position of a number 6.

This allows Trusty to play the ball forward into his feet.

Taylor is responsible for picking up the ball in front of the oppo