Celtic are preparing their supporters for the imminent sale of Alistair Johnston.
At around 8.30pm on Wednesday Michael Gannon and Stephen McGowan published very similar stories about interest from Everton.
Spookily, at 5pm on June 5 the Daily Record, Sun and Herald all had the exclusive news that Martin O’Neill had agreed a 12 month contract as permanent manager. On June 11 that news was confirmed by Celtic.
Apparently a £10m bid is on the way for Johnston who impressed for Canada at the World Cup Finals.
It would be a surprise if there wasn’t interest and bids for the defender.
After three and a half years at Celtic he has won everything on offer in the Scottish game and been involved in two Champions League campaigns.
With his ‘physical attributes’ Johnston is ideally suited to play in the EPL. His background in ice hockey is credited for his enjoyment of the physical side of the game- he thrives on it.
CELTIC FANS PREPARED FOR TRANSFER EXODUS
Celtic fans have been expecting interest in Johnston. Daizen Maeda has left for Ipswich with Arne Engels expected to be elsewhere when the transfer window closes.
There will be a public attempt to hold on to Johnston, probably the offer of a bumper new contract, maybe for mega/big bucks before the inevitable.
10 million ? knee injury ????? shambles of an article
— Diego (@Kurtzengzhi) July 29, 2026
Published by the Record at 8.28pm on Wednesday.
Everton are preparing to firm up their interest in Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston.
The Canada World Cup star is on a transfer shortlist, with a bid expected from the Premier League side.
?https://t.co/464bjjmCCo pic.twitter.com/GX1d1WfT0o
— Herald Sport (@HeraldSportScot) July 29, 2026
There is no time-stamp on the Herald story, the tweet appeared at 8.52pm.
The Record reported:
Record Sport understands an official offer has yet to land but the Toffees are now preparing to make their move and the Canada defender is aware of the interest.
Celts are hoping to keep Johnston for at least another season – with his contract running until 2029 – but the 27-year-old’s stock is soaring after a string of impressive displays for the Canucks at the World Cup.
Everton boss David Moyes has been keeping tabs and is now ready to step up the chase – and could stump up more than £10m to get his man.
At the Herald they went with:
Everton are preparing to firm up their interest in Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston.
Scotland right-back Nathan Patterson is drawing strong interest from clubs in Germany, Spain and Italy, while Seamus Coleman has also called time on his career.
Johnston played all five games for Canada at the World Cup finals and is on a shortlist of replacements.
While Celtic would prefer to retain one of their most influential players, the Scottish champions are bracing themselves for a bid in excess of £10million for a 28-year-old under contract until 2029.
Both publishers made sure that they mentioned Celtic spending £16m on Kasper Hogh and Camilo Duran.
Neither report included the fact that Celtic are at break-even with summer expenditure. Luis Palma, Maik Nawrocki and Daizen Maeda have been sold. Wages have been saved on Kasper Schmeichel, Kelechi Iheanacho and Marcelo Saracchi.
There has been virtually no speculation over Celtic signing a right-back other than Julian Araujo. With a Bournemouth contract running until 2029 matching his EPL wages looks way beyond Celtic’s budget.
At the start of the week there was a degree of hope and expectation among Celtic fans as Kasper Hogh arrived.
Although bids for Johnston were expected taking the Canadian and Maeda out of the side in the same transfer window greatly reduces the Starting XI.
The return of Johnston from injury and Maeda rediscovering his form and goal touch was a major factor in Celtic’s double success.
Engel’s also made a big impact in the final run-in.
After Johnston leaves it seems certain that Engels will be next.
Reo Hatate and Paulo Bernardo are also expected to leave but selling further big hitters can’t be ruled out.
They’re worth the watching, this board. Nicholson AWOL, hold-ups with the Haissem Hassan and Mika Baur deals mean only one thing. He’s up 24/7 trying to sell our good players.
Its been the same for years ffs.no surprise theyre going to sell johnston.only surprise is the money being quoted £10m..hes worth double..at least.
Johnstone cannot be sold before the Champions league qualifiers, I wouldn’t let him leave in this window regardless of fee. The board will have other ideas, when they do the price should be £20 million as Everton paid over £10 million for Patterson who had played a handful of games. Loosing Meada, Johnstone, Engels, and to a lesser extent Nygren would be crazy in the same window, but I have no trust in the charlatans who sit on our board.
If we sell Johnston for £10M then the club is truly lost.
According to the article he would be a replacement for Nathan Patterson, who had played about ten matches, and we were told that he fetched £12M. So essentially Celtic will sell a proven internationalist, a mainstay of the team, for £2M leas than a kid who was sold three years ago.
It’s hardly a deal in the “mega bucks” level. Now if they were talking Tierney money then that is a different issue but, if we sell for £10M, then we should just buy a herd of cattle and graze them on the park and give up on football.
AJ is worth £20m – £25m anyday and this is a bit late in the day to be thinking of letting someone go on the cheap. If he is going ask Bodo to do the negotiation for us.
£10M? In today’s market, particularly involving an EPL club, this is loose change. Let them start at £30M+ or go away and annoy someone else.
Personally speaking, I have a view which may be contentious.
I have nothing to base this on other than observations and a gut instinct.
I believe that key members of the squad have been given improved terms, be that performance related pay or something else.
My logic is that this is a milestone season and that will be a moneymaker for the board.
They’d be fools not to capitalise on it.
Editor: How would you describe the approach to Champions League qualifying over the last dozen years.
To be blunt?
Piss poor.
That said, this is an important season, we all feel it
Too important to feck it up.
If, and it’s a big if, they want to cement the Lisbon anniversary, this is the time to do it.
Just my pennies worth.
A very cynical interpretation could be;
Celtic and Everton have already agreed in principle about AJ’s move?
Early rumours to prepare the Celtic support for his departure.
Placed SMSM reports quote a low, ‘£10M’ for someone who has just performed very well at the WC.
Announcement eventually made – and AJ is sold for, say £20M?
Supporters are expected to think: oh, the Board did well there to get that much for AJ?
So they sell AJ, [but do they replace him?]
Nobody thinks AJ is only worth £10M in the current market?
Mr Diamond, I really fail to see the point of your mixed messages.
You think “…….this is a milestone season and that will be a moneymaker for the board.”
The board milks the Lisbon Lions, as it has always done, for everything it can and does NOT need your encouragement. This nonsense: “They’d be fools not to capitalise on it.”
EVERY year is an anniversary by definition and the 60th is nothing hugely significant so what are you on about? If they DID increase income, do you believe we’d see it on the pitch? FFS, look at what the board has done historically and continues to do! THEY NEED HUNTED!
The only talk about the board on here, or anywhere Celtic supporters look in on, should be of removing it en bloc and replacing it with Celtic supporters. Get a grip, or are you at the wind-up?
FFS, some Celtic ‘supporters’ are totally beyond belief, unfathomable even!