Republic of Ireland boss Stephen Kenny insists Mikey Johnston is ‘too good’ to be stuck on the bench as the winger struggles for chances at Scottish Premiership champions Celtic.
As new £3.5 million signing Luis Palma cut inside and curled a beauty into the top corner of the Kilmarnock net last time out, Mikey Johnston’s hopes of forcing his way into Brendan Rodgers’ first-team plans diminished ever further.
A back injury has restricted Johnston’s chances of making an impact at club level. But, even when fit, opportunities could be few and far between. In addition to Palma, Celtic also signed Yang Hyun-Jun over the summer, with Marco Tilio arriving too and Daizen Maeda at his best on the left.
Celtic’s Mikey Johnston shines for Ireland
The international break – and a rare 66 minute outing – must have been a welcome respite for Johnston then, the winger marking a start with a goal as the Republic of Ireland hammered Gibraltar 4-0 on Monday night.
And Stephen Kenny, the under-pressure ROI coach, has indicated that Johnston may be better off looking for a move at club level if things continue as they are for him at Parkhead.
“Mikey Johnston, I love wingers. He is too good not to be playing football,” Kenny says, via the Irish Examiner. “He played well, as did Chiedozie (Ogbene of Luton Town).
“We have wingers who can make an impact.”
Johnston yet to feature for Celtic this season
Glasgow-born Johnston spent the whole of 2022/23 out on loan at Vitoria Guimaraes in Portugal. He scored three goals and set up five more, but was too expensive to be tied down to a permanent deal by the Primeira Liga outfit.
“We have to enjoy him until the end of the season,” explained Vitoria vice president Nuno Leite. “He is a great player. An extraordinary professional who helps the group. Unfortunately, Vitoria will not be able to keep him.”
“Regarding Mikey, he is a player with quality,” head coach Joao Aroso added. “(He is) strong in one-on-ones. With many years at Celtic, he’s used to strong environments.”
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