Celtic have a plethora of individuals out on loan, hoping to impress Brendan Rodgers ahead of a return to Parkhead in the summer.
Rodgers has previously indicated his ideal squad size would be around 25, which would also allow youngsters to enter the senior fold where appropriate, which led to a spate of departures in the January window.
He stated last year: “Ideally we’d have a squad of 25 players, 22 with three goalkeepers. In which case, there will also be an opportunity for young players to come through, as that’s always my first look.”
Farming out players to gain experience has been a successful avenue that has moulded some key Celtic players over the years, with Callum McGregor, Kristoffer Ajer, and, more recently, Liam Scales all benefitting from spending time elsewhere.
For others, this process can simply be a chance to regain some confidence or receive regular game time, both of which have been the case for Mikey Johnston since his deadline-day move to West Bromwich Albion.
In his nine appearances for the Baggies, the Republic of Ireland international has scored six times while showing a level of consistency that hasn’t been seen often enough during his years at Celtic [Transfermarkt].
Per Fotmob, the 24-year-old has managed to obtain an average match rating of 7.12 for his exploits in the Sky Bet Championship, further exemplifying his array of talent.
Pundit says West Brom could target Celtic loanee Mikey Johnston
Inevitably, as soon as any loan player enters a rich vein of form in a new environment, there is a clamour from fans of that particular club to see a permanent deal come to fruition.
Some West Brom supporters will be thinking along those lines regarding on-loan Celt Johnston, and former England international Carlton Palmer believes the Baggies could look to go all out for the Glasgow-born attacker in the summer.
Palmer told Football League World: “I’m not surprised Celtic let him leave on loan, they have a lot of players at the football club, so some needed to get out to get game time, and this is what happens.
“You want a player to go out on loan, impress, which is what Mikey Johnston has done. He’s been absolutely sensational under Carlos Corberan and West Brom are punching above their weight in the play-off places, and finishing in the top six would be a fantastic achievement.
“Johnston is still under contract at Celtic, but it will be one of those at the end of the season where talks take place. I think West Brom should be looking to bring him to the club on a permanent basis.
“He’s become a fan favourite, and with Shilen Patel having taken over, hopefully in the summer, the manager will be afforded funds to bring in players to make sure West Brom can be in and around the automatic promotion places next season, should they not go up this season. And, one of those players the fans would certainly like to see at the football club is Johnston.”
Mikey Johnston’s loan success can only be good for Celtic
Celtic have potentially landed themselves in a scenario where they win either way if Johnston continues to deliver in a West Brom shirt.
On one hand, the Irishman is sold on in the summer for a healthy sum of money that can be reinvested into Rodgers’ playing squad, or he returns reinvigorated and determined to nail down a place on the flank at Parkhead.
There has been much discussion over whether Johnston should’ve been allowed to depart in the first place; however, it is nice to see him playing with a smile on his face once again.
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