Daily Record’s Gannon update on Alistair Johnston transfer interest

Michael Gannon believes that £15m is the maximum bid that Everton will submit for Alistair Johnston.

Last night at 8.30pm the Record reporter broke the news of Celtic expecting a bid for their Canadian defender.

At almost the exact same time Stephen McGowan published a very similar story in the Herald.

Both reporters are regarded as In The Know as far as Celtic news is concerned. McGowan for far longer than Gannon.

Since leaving the Daily Mail almost 18 months ago McGowan has been a regular with the Herald but not involved in the daily news cycle.

Gannon is. He was the senior member of the Albufeira Four that enjoyed at least one night on the lash with Martin O’Neill during the Algarve training trip.

O’Neill enjoyed himself so much that he referenced it twice in his media conference after Celtic drew with Middlesbrough.

GANNON ON MESSAGE OVER JOHNSTON TRANSFER

The Daily Record was given plenty of access to players and O’Neill in Portugal. So much that some of it was held back a week such as Luke McCowan’s Scotland ambitions.

After breaking the Everton story on Wednesday evening Gannon has provided more detail on Thursday lunchtime.

A transfer to Everton seems less likely- but other interest in Johnston is expected.

After highlighting the defender’s impact at the World Cup Finals Gannon claims:

His value might’ve rocketed but raking in fortunes won’t help a manager who might see him as irreplaceable.

That’s where this might get interesting. Johnston has done three-and-a-half years in Glasgow and he’s 27 now. He’s at the optimum time to cash in.

But can Celtic afford to?

The Hoops are still well short in key areas despite the capture of a couple of strikers.

They need a minimum of one new winger, at least two midfielders – maybe more with expected departures – another centre back, a back-up left back and a keeper to challenge Viljami Sinisalo. That’s a fair shopping list.

Losing Johnston now on top of it would be a heck of a body blow.

The good thing for Hoops fans is the word from inside Parkhead is they neither need nor want to sell Johnston right now.

There’s a Champions League qualifier on the horizon for a start and he will be needed big time.

It’s also dubious whether Everton are going to get to the figure that would even make Celtic blink.

Sources on Merseyside suggest David Moyes would be willing to go up to around £15m for the Canuck ace.

That’s a hefty figure – but it still might not be enough. The Toffees taking a bite might trigger others to join the fight too.

Celtic fans have been given a gentle warning to expect Johnston to be transferred. If it doesn’t happen it is portrayed as a mark of ambition by the club.

Recently Gannon was full on with claims that Kelechi Iheanacho had signed a £50,000 a week mega bucks deal with Beskitas.

That wasn’t true. Even his Daily Record colleague Ryan McDonald steered well clear of that figure.

On November 14 Gannon broke the EXCLUSIVE news that Celtic were in advanced talks to appoint Wilfried Nancy as manager.

He then spent three weeks profiling the seventh best coach in the MLS Eastern Conference as a cross between Pep Guardiola and peek Jose Mourinho.

That wasn’t true. Nancy was a 33 day dud. The worst manager in Celtic’s history.

But the Johnston message is out there now. Celtic fans can include the Canadian internationalist in the list of players that could leave during the current transfer window.