Celtic winger Mikey Johnston has been advised to leave Parkhead this summer after failing to establish himself as a first team regular.
Former striker Frank McAvennie, who represented the Hoops in two stints in both the 1980s and 1990s, claims he will be disappointed if the 25-year-old is still on the books at the start of the season and believes the winger has now had ample opportunity to prove himself.
He’s been here seven years and he’s not been in the first team, come on, it’s time to move on Micky. There’s no doubting his talent, and he scores wonderful goals, but he doesn’t do enough the rest of the game.”
Johnston progressed through the Celtic academy in 2017 and has managed to sporadically make 60 league appearances in that time, scoring nine goals. After a season-long loan spell at Vitoria in Portugal during the 2022/23 season, he was reintroduced to the first team by Brendan Rodgers upon his arrival but was once again sent out on loan six months later after making just nine appearances.
Over the last six months, Johnston has registered seven goals and two assists in 20 league appearances at English Championship level, marking a career hot-streak for the Republic of Ireland ace. But McAvennie is adamant that his recent run of form is not enough to earn him a place at Parkhead.
All we’ve seen up here was the goals that he scored down at West Brom, but talking to people down there they’re saying he didn’t do anything else, that’s why they didn’t buy him.” McAvennie added.
There’s a reason why they didn’t buy him. Everyone’s raving about, ‘What a goal,’ brilliant, but you’ve got to do more than that, you’re not even a centre forward you’re a winger.
“You’re scoring goals but you don’t do anything else, that’s something that I guarantee you Brendan won’t have in the team. I’ll be disappointed if he plays for Celtic and it’s not a reflection of the boy.
“Celtic’s jersey is too heavy for Micky, so go and make a name for yourself somewhere else. I don’t know where he’s going to go in the team.”
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