Martin O'Neill reveals David Moyes has initiated contact for Alistair Johnston, acknowledging the difficulty of retaining the standout defender against the allure of the Premier League.
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Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has spoken out about Everton's reported interest in defender Alistair Johnston.
The Toffees have been linked with a move to sign Johnston in the summer transfer window, with reports confirming that he is one of the targets for the right-back position.
It's been a slow few weeks for the Toffees in the summer window, with very minimal credible links to any potential new additions. Things are starting to gather pace ever so slightly when it comes to the right-back situation, with Johnston now clearly a priority target.
O'Neill on Everton interest
Speaking ahead of the return of the Scottish Premiership this weekend, O'Neill has discussed Everton's interest in Johnston, confirming reports that the Toffees are keen.
"Everton have been in contact. I'm not sure whether there's been a bid in there for that one, but they've been in contact saying that there would be. In fairness, David Moyes did call me last week to say there would be contact."
O'Neill confirms that David Moyes has already been in touch with the Celtic boss, and it is clear that he is a player Everton are going to make a move for.
O'Neill has confirmed that it is "difficult to stop people if their ambition is to play in a big, big league", but adds that it is up to them to try to keep him this summer.
It appears that Everton are yet to agree on any kind of fee with the Scottish side, but they are now working on a deal, with talks underway to do so.
It'll be interesting to see the kind of fee that Everton are willing to pay for the Canadian international, and whether he's the only right back who arrives through the door in the summer.
The Toffees are scouting the Canadian international to solve their defensive woes, but questions remain over whether the Celtic standout can bridge the gap from Glasgow to Merseyside.roundtable.ioEverton Eyeing Alistair Johnston: Player Analysis
The Toffees are scouting the Canadian international to solve their defensive woes, but questions remain over whether the Celtic standout can bridge the gap from Glasgow to Merseyside.
You could certainly argue that Everton need to bring in more than one right back over the coming weeks, and many will have been hoping to see someone of a higher profile than Johnston.
It's certainly not the kind of player you want to be splashing over £20 million on, considering he's 27 and has yet to play in the top league. It could be a smart pick-up at a low price.
You can imagine it's going to be difficult to tempt Celtic into a sale on the cheap, considering he's their first choice right back. Everton need to ensure they aren't overpaying for this player, as there is unlikely to be too much sell-on value on him in the future.
It will be good to see Everton also bringing in another right back over the coming weeks. The Toffees should be looking to target a younger profile to learn and develop over the years, planning for the long-term future.
Whether this is a smart addition or not will massively depend on the fee and whether other players also arrive through the door.