Tierney will be Celtic player by summer - Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that Kieran Tierney will move to Celtic from Arsenal this summer at the latest - and that fellow left-back Alex Valle's loan from Barcelona is being cut short.

Tierney is out of contract with the Premier League club this summer and Celtic are hoping an agreement can be reached to bring the 27-year-old Scotland defender to the Scottish champions during January.

There had been speculation about Valle's future should Tierney return to Celtic, with Italian club Como reportedly interested in taking the 20-year-old on loan for the rest of the season.

Manager Rodgers says Valle will not play for Celtic again and also confirmed that the Scottish champions are hoping to sign a replacement for striker Kyogo Furuhashi, who was sold to Rennes on Monday.

Kieran Tierney is out of contract with Arsenal this summer

Tierney has made one start and four substitute appearances since returning to the first-team squad following injury last month and Rodgers said: "He's still, at this moment, an Arsenal player.

"I think we're agreed that it will definitely take place in the summer. If we can do it beforehand, then great.

"I don't want to speak too much on it with the greatest respect, because he's not a Celtic player here now with us. But, if we were able to do it, of course, we would like to do that, but that's out of our control at this moment in time."

Valle has made 19 appearances for Celtic but been mainly an understudy to Greg Taylor.

"Alex won't play again," Rodgers said. "Sadly, he's in Barcelona at the moment and he will probably then move on to another team.

"We're disappointed that he's left, but we have to move on."

Portuguese winger Jota returned to Celtic from Rennes as Kyogo headed in the opposite direction to the French club and Rodgers admitted he is disappointed to have lost someone who has been "a real iconic player for the club".

"He's done brilliantly during his time," he said of the 30-year-old. "It's about getting a replacement.

"We have known for a number of months. Clearly, we wouldn't have wanted to sell him, but he made it clear he wanted to move and, when that's the case, we have to find the best solution for the club."

It means Rodgers' side will face Aston Villa on Wednesday in their final Champions League game before the play-offs without Kyogo and fellow Japan forward Daizen Maeda, who is suspended.

"Of course missing those two make difference, but other players can come in and have an opportunity to impress," Rodgers said.

Cameron Carter-Vickers will also miss out along with Scotland winger James Forrest through injury.

Rodgers revealed that the centre-half picked up a niggle in Celtic's latest game and he felt there is no need to risk him given the Scottish champions are already through to the play-offs regardless of the result in Birmingham.