Mikey Johnston of Celtic may be leaving Celtic Park this summer following a fruitful loan stint with West Bromwich Albion during the latter part of the 2023–24 campaign.
The 24-year-old forward, who had fallen out of favor at Parkhead, signed a contract with Albion on loan in January. If he keeps up his good play at The Hawthorns, the contract might become permanent.
After graduating from the Celtic academy, the Republic of Ireland international made his first-team debut at the age of 18, and he immediately signed a long-term contract.
Johnston has made 92 appearances for the Hoops, but he has recently battled to hold down a starting position in the squad. His stellar spell at Albion is also likely to generate interest throughout the offseason.Kenny Miller thinks Mikey Johnston should push for Celtic exit this summer
Kenny Miller is one man who believes that in order for Johnston to advance in his career, he must leave Celtic.
The former attacker for Rangers and Cardiff City, who also played for Celtic but is most known for his time at Ibrox, stated to Football Scotland that he believes Johnston would be better off moving this summer.
“To be honest, it feels like a loan move with his future in mind, but I get the sensation Mikey has needed this change,” Miller remarked.
It doesn’t seem like he’s playing to establish his worth in Celtic’s starting lineup. I’m not sure what Mikey Johnston’s contract situation is, but I believe he has to work outside of Celtic to advance his career.”
“I believe he would have wanted a permanent move in January, but this is a perfect opportunity for him to either establish himself and get a permanent move to West Brom, or at the very least, get himself noticed at that level,” said the author.
Given his early-season form for the team, Johnston’s performances suggest that West Brom will likely make a move for him in the summer.
Since his January transfer, he has been among the league’s top wingers in terms of goals per ninety minutes. His remarkable dribbling skill adds an additional dimension to his game.
Since he joined, the team has only lost once in the league, demonstrating the influence Johnston has had on the team. His actions have propelled the club into fifth position and appear to have set them up for a top six Championship finish.
| Championship Table (As it stands April 6th) | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Leicester City | 40 | 43 | 88 |
| 2 | Ipswich Town | 41 | 32 | 87 |
| 3 | Leeds United | 39 | 42 | 85 |
| 4 | Southampton | 39 | 25 | 75 |
| 5 | West Brom | 41 | 23 | 69 |
| 6 | Norwich City | 41 | 15 | 67 |
| 7 | Coventry City | 40 | 18 | 63 |
| 8 | Middlesbrough | 41 | -5 | 61 |
Despite his recent injury concerns, he has made an impression since joining the team.
For Celtic, he appeared in fewer than 100 games during his tenure. This resulted from a mix of injuries and just falling out of favor with the many managers the team had at the time of his employment.
Given that Johnston is only 24 years old, the fact that he has missed over two years and 78 games because of fitness issues is concerning. Before paying a price to sign the Irish forward in the summer, the Baggies will need to consider this.
The fact that he has not suffered any injuries since joining the team is a comfort to them. Since moving to the Hawthorns on deadline day, Johnston has participated in every game—the majority of which he has started.
This featured a run of six goals and one assist in seven games in February and March. He increased that total this weekend against Stoke City, which will be a motivating factor to take into account when West Brom decides whether to attempt to bring him in permanently.
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