West Bromwich Albion will have to fork out £6 million to secure the services of Mikey Johnston on a permanent basis, according to Football Insider.
The 25-year-old joined the Baggies on loan in February and became a big hit at the Hawthorns. It was a move which revitalised the Republic of Ireland international’s career, scoring seven goals in 20 appearances.
Johnston rose through the ranks at Celtic, although has been on the fringes of the first team squad for a number of years. He has featured 92 times since making his debut in 2017 and spent the 2022/23 campaign at Portuguese outfit Vitoria de Guimaraes.
The left winger penned a contract extension until 2026 upon his departure to the continent and it was hoped that Ange Postecoglou’s move to Tottenham Hotspur may improve his chances at the Glasgow-based side. However, he still played a bit-part role under Brendan Rodgers during the early stages of this season, leading to his temporary move to the West Midlands.
The Championship proved to be a happy hunting ground and he played a starring role as West Brom secured a fifth-placed finish. Their season would come to an end in the play-off semi-final though, when they suffered a 3-1 aggregate defeat against eventual winners Southampton.
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West Brom are thought to be keen to sign the attacker this summer, although it is claimed that another loan deal could be explored. A permanent transfer is said to suit all parties, although sales may need to be sanctioned to free up some funds.
Speaking earlier this year, Johnston revealed that manager Carlos Corberan was one of the key reasons behind his switch to the club:
“I think when this was one of my options, I felt as though it was a good one anyway, but just speaking to the manager and hearing how much I could learn.
“He’s like a teacher honestly, the stuff that I’ve been taught already is valuable for my career and I feel like tactically I’m learning every day. When he phoned me up, I knew he was going to be the right coach for me.
“It was just a gametime thing [at Celtic]. In the end, we had eight wingers which was always going to be tough to get the minutes that I wanted to get. I wanted to build on last year and obviously, I’m getting older now and I want to progress my career.
“This felt like a nice step for me and everything was agreed between the two clubs so it was quite seamless.”
Writer’s View
Johnston is sure to have many admirers this summer after a more than impressive stint at West Brom. However, if the opportunity is there to return to the Hawthorns, it is one he should grasp with both hands.
Sometimes, a player and club just suit each other, and it certainly looks to be the case here. He emerged as one of the standout performers in the division during the latter stages of the campaign and was the driving force behind their top six finish. Celtic clearly hold the upper hand and there will be someone willing to take a £6 million gamble. Baggies fans will hope that there is enough money in the bank to secure his signature.
Head of Writing