Kelechi Iheanacho's late goal gave Celtic a 1-0 win over Dundee at Celtic Park on Monday night — and by Tuesday morning, the club had a different kind of battle on their hands.

Spanish side Osasuna have enquired about Celtic defender Kieran Tierney, according to the BBC. Celtic are expected to reject any approach outright. Tierney, a 29-year-old Scotland international left-back, only returned to Glasgow last summer, signing a five-year deal from Arsenal in June 2025 (Reuters). Less than 14 months later, La Liga — Spain's top flight — has come calling.

The timing is awkward for a reason. Brendan Rodgers' side opened their William Hill Premiership campaign with that narrow win over Dundee, kicking off at 19:30 on 3 August 2026. Iheanacho, the Nigerian forward, settled it with a late strike. The result had a neat symmetry, too: the last time these two met at Celtic Park in league action, Dundee walked away 2-0 winners on a Sunday afternoon in October 2025 (Celtic FC). This time, Celtic held their ground.

Tierney's connection to the club runs deeper than most transfers capture. He came through Celtic's youth academy, the system that develops players from childhood, before leaving for Arsenal in 2019. His return last year was treated as a homecoming. When Celtic won the 2025-26 Scottish Premiership title on the final day with a victory over Hearts in May 2026, Tierney called the triumph "unbelievable" (Reuters). A five-year contract was never meant to be a pit stop.

Former Celtic captain Scott Brown, speaking on BBC Sportsound, was blunt about Tierney's future. "He's going nowhere," Brown said. "He loves the football club." Brown also weighed in on Celtic captain Callum McGregor, who has retired from international football with Scotland — a decision that frees him from national-team duty during the season. Brown described McGregor as "the brains of the Celtic team," the player who sets the tempo and orchestrates the midfield.

Celtic's pre-season offered mixed signals. They drew 2-2 with AC Milan, a side steeped in European pedigree, suggesting a team still sharpening its edges for the domestic campaign ahead (Yahoo Sports). The competitive engine, though, started turning over on Monday night.

For Osasuna, a club based in Pamplona — better known for the Running of the Bulls than for marquee signings — a Tierney approach represents serious ambition. Whether Celtic even entertain a conversation is another matter. A five-year contract signed just over a year ago, a player who has publicly expressed his devotion to the club, and a former captain willing to say so on national radio — all of it points the same direction.

The transfer window theatre has a way of surprising everyone. But on this one, the script already looks written.