FORMER Celtic captain Tom Boyd has insisted Kieran Tierney might never leave Celtic despite strong interest from England because is destined to wear the armband.
The 20-year-old will, as has been the case for the last two summer, be linked with big money moves down south given he has arguably been the most scouted player in British football since bursting onto the scene.
Tierney himself has never once hinted that he wanted to leave the club and even suggested he could remain at Celtic Park for the rest of his career.
Read more: Brendan Rodgers admits Celtic remain miles away from Europe's elite
And Boyd, who played over 250 times for the current seven in a row champions, believes suitors such as Arsenal and Tottenham are going to be disappointed no matter how much cash they dangle in front of the young man from Motherwell.
Boyd said: “Why would Kieran want to go to smaller clubs? He has everything his heart desires at Celtic. He can make the Champions League and he will be successful.
"Kieran will be a wealthy man when he retires, without question, providing he doesn't have injury problems - touch wood. He can get everything he needs at this club and be successful.
"When players look back at the end of their careers, there will be a tinge of regret if they didn't win anything. You want to look back having been successful.
"Kieran will have seen Celtic players lifting trophies in the past and he's now living the dream.
"One day Kieran will captain this football club. That's only a matter of time. And he will be staying around a lot longer at Celtic than some people think.”
The English Premier League may be guilty of over self-promotion; however, it is a far bigger stage than the Premiership and by far more financially rewarding.
And while Boyd agreed that Tierney could easily play for one of the bigger clubs, the left-back’s love for Celtic will mean a long-term stay in Glasgow.
Boyd said: “Some Scottish players have gone to England far too early. We have seen plenty examples of that. You would rather see them stay here for a while and you don't need to tell Kieran what Celtic is about.
"You see him starting the songs off - he's not a bad chanter. We need to get him a special megaphone. Well, he's better than me because I cleared the stadium in 1998."
The obvious comparison is Andy Robertson who last season was voted the best left back in England and played in a Champions League final.
But Boyd said: What's Andy won? Nothing. That is the balance for players.
"Kieran would love to do better in the Champions League with Celtic and that's a tough ask. But as for everything else...Andy is a fantastic player but he'd love to be in Kieran's position picking up a Double Treble and all those trophies.
"Andy has done ever so well though and it's great that we have those two guys in that position.
"I'd play both of them in the Scotland team but Kieran has everything he wants at Celtic.
"He sets his own challenges and standards at Celtic - and hits them in almost every match. “I've rarely seen him have a bad game and he know what this football club is about.
"When there's no thrill for him anymore, which I can't see happening, then maybe that's the time to move on.”
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