Mikey Johnston lined up for Championship return after wowing at West Brom
Mikey Johnston’s form for West Brom last season has resulted in fellow Championship side Burnley pursuing a transfer for the Celtic winger.
Pete O’Rourke reported for Football Insider on 21 August that Johnston is high on Burnley’s transfer list this summer, having returned to Celtic at the culmination of his loan spell at The Hawthorns in May.
Johnston scored seven goals and added two assists in 20 matches for the Baggies from February onwards, but returned to Celtic Park following the play-offs to leave Albion fans crestfallen.
Bringing Johnston back to the Hawthorns either permanently on another loan deal would be a dream move for the Baggies, but they look set to lose out on the 25-year-old to recently-relegated Burnley.
West Brom will rue missing out on Mikey Johnston transfer
Few players make such a big impact in so little time at a particular club, but for the final four months of last season, Johnston was the go-to danger-man for Carlos Corberan’s side at The Hawthorns.
However, he and the Baggies drew a blank until the seventh minute of injury time in the second leg of their play-off semi-final with Southampton, by which time it was too late to save a 3-1 aggregate loss.
The price of a failed promotion bid has already been felt within the Albion’s squad, with the likes of Okay Yokuslu and Cedric Kipre both departing for a cut-price fee and nothing respectively.
Johnson would surely have become a permanent staple at The Hawthorns had Corberan’s side sealed promotion, given his performances on loan haven’t strengthened his position in Celtic’s pecking order.
That has now opened the door for Burnley, however, and given they know just how good Johnston can be at Championship level, Baggies fans will be wincing at the prospect of him strengthening a direct promotion rival.
In other West Brom news, the Baggies are yet to return with a second offer for a Championship striker after their first bid was rejected.
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