Alistair Johnston has just signed a new contract with Celtuc until 2029 – but he’s already touched on extending it again!
The Canadian international full-back pledged his future to the Parkhead giants on Friday as he penned a fresh five-year deal.
When previous Celtic right-back Josip Juranovic left the club in January 2023, there was a concern about who would come in to replace him.
But manager Ange Postecoglou wasted absolutely no time in targeting Johnston after his performances at the 2022 World Cup and when he started his Celtic career, everyone seemed to have forgotten about Juranovic.
Johnston has been a standout for the Hoops ever since with 79 appearances, 20 goal contributions and five major domestic honours already under his belt.
He still had a few years left on his previous deal. But once Celtic approached him about extending, he made it clear to his agent that he wanted to sign on.
Could Johnston finish his career with Celtic?
The announcement has only just been made but the 26-year-old is hoping that he can perform well enough over the next five years to guarantee ANOTHER extension.
Would that then mean he finishes his career at Celtic? As quoted in the Daily Record, Johnston said: “Once the talks got going, I made it pretty clear to my agent that is what I wanted to do.
“The club made it clear that they valued me and they wanted to get it done as a priority. That was from the get-go for them and it’s what you want to hear from your employer.
“It was nice to see that and the fans seem happy too. They were clamouring for it and I kept getting asked about it for the last three months.
“It was a good day when that all transpired. Could I finish my career here? That is a great question. I am not that far-sighted but if you could stand the test of time and the demands at Celtic, that would be unbelievably special.
“Only really a handful of guys can go out and do that – Callum McGregor and James Forrest are among the most decorated and legendary players here at this club.
“It’s not often that happens but we will see. I have five more years and hopefully I can do well enough that I can think of an extension down the line again.”
Johnston feels at home in Scotland
The Canadian continued: “It’s definitely been nice in terms of having clarity and just structure. That’s definitely something that you need.
“It’s not easy when you’re moving around every year, I know a lot of players who’ve done that before, and I couldn’t do it.
“Again, to think that Celtic wanted to offer me a five-year deal and truly value me – even when I still have three years left on my deal – that’s something that they didn’t have to do.
“That’s a sign of good faith, that they truly care for me and, again, a lot has happened to me since I moved to Scotland.
“We got engaged at Turnberry, getting a dog, that’s like starting a family in some ways, so we’ve set up a few roots here now and we’ve really enjoyed our time.
“That’s something that wasn’t lost on myself or my fiancee in terms of making this decision.
“It’s a place where we feel really comfortable. I’ve started saying ‘Aye’ all the time and multiple family members have brought it up!
“I haven’t picked up haggis or black pudding, I’ve tried Irn Bru, which was okay, but the colour of it, you think that should be getting poured into an engine!
“Golf is another one. I’ve played some courses that are way better than my skill level. I hacked it around Troon and Turnberry was a disaster – I think I lost 30 balls on the back nine! But that’s definitely something I’ve enjoyed.”
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