Arsenal’s £15m Kieran Tierney offer rejected by Celtic as Scots demand £25m transfer fee for left-back

ARSENAL had an initial £15million bid for Celtic star Kieran Tierney KO’d — and have been told the price starts at £25m.

The Gunners tried to tempt the Hoops by offering fringe players such as Carl Jenkinson, Jordi Osei-Tutu, Emile Smith Rowe or Eddie Nketiah as part of the deal.

The Scottish champions are open to the possibility of selling the left-back.

But their valuation of the 22-year-old would have to be met to justify letting go of a fans’ hero.

Sources expect Arsenal to try again with an improved bid within days.

Tierney has a contract until 2023 and is now recovering from a double hernia operation at the end of May.

And the Gunners are keen to replace Spaniard Nacho Monreal, 33, whose contract runs out this summer.

But boss Unai Emery only has a summer kitty of around £45m after missing out on a Champions League spot.

Emery at least had the consolation or reducing the Gunners weekly wage bill by more than £400k following the exit of six experienced players.

Departing are Aaron Ramsey, Denis Suarez, Danny Welbeck, Petr Cech, David Ospina and Stephan Lichtsteiner have all left the Emirates.

German playmaker Mesut Ozil remains the highest earner with his incredible £350,000-a-week deal.

Arsenal's annual wage bill of £200m is still below Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United.