The one that I wanted- manager reveals long term plan for impressive loan bhoy
Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v Aberdeen - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - July 31, 2022 Celtic players in a huddle before the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Carlos Corberan has had a hunch confirmed about Mikey Johnston.
The winger spent a season out on loan at Vitoria Guimareas in Portugal but with no option to buy on the deal his career was in limbo.
Putting together a season free from injury was the plan with the door effectively closed at Celtic with Sead Haksabanovic joining the wide options that had served Ange Postecoglou so well in his first season at the club.
Johnston returned to new management at Celtic last summer just as the club signed up Marco Tilio, Luis Palma and Yang Hyun-jun, in January the winger options were increased when Nicolas Kuhn was signed from Rapid Vienna in a £3m deal.
Faced with an uphill battle for game time at Celtic the 24-year-old opted to go out on loan, finding a manager prepared to put him into his staring XI and trust Johnston to fulfil the potential that had earned him his Celtic debut at the age of 17.
Four goals in eight appearances have vindicated Corberan’s judgement, after another outstanding goal last night, away to QPR, Football League World reports the West Brom boss saying:
He was my target one because I think that he is one player with a lot of skill who can play wide, who can play inside, who can score, who can add quality to attacks. I think he’s a very important player for us.
Celtic is a different context. Celtic are playing another level of competition and he was from the bench. I think that it’s important for him to feel that he can be an important player for the first XI.
Everything started with him when I was watching Jayson Molumby play in one of the international games. The fact that I was watching him in Portugal last year on loan too allowed us to think that maybe he could be one of the possibilities to take.
Johnston’s form in the Championship won’t have gone un-noticed at rival clubs, if West Brom can’t put together a deal to sign him on a permanent basis there are bound to be other options if he maintains his form and scoring record.