Everton’s Johnston pursuit not as advanced as reports suggest
Everton’s interest in Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston is genuine, but a deal is not as close as some reports have claimed, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill confirmed contact from Everton in his pre-match press conference ahead of Celtic’s Scottish Premiership opener against Dundee.
He said David Moyes had called him the previous week to say contact would follow, though he wasn’t sure how far talks had progressed, if at all.
O’Neill was speaking more broadly about interest in his squad, including West Ham’s reported bid for Arne Engels, which he said fell well short of Celtic’s valuation.
He added that keeping hold of players attracting Premier League interest was becoming increasingly difficult.
The Daily Record has since reported Johnston is close to a £15m move, with the player keen on the switch and Celtic resigned to losing him.
But Everton’s package is understood to be around £12m up front plus add-ons, below what Celtic are asking, and the Echo says there remains significant work to do before any deal is finalised.
Moyes has identified Johnston as a possible fix for Everton’s long-standing right-back problem, but used Jake O’Brien in the position for Saturday’s 2-1 win over Hamburg, with Nathan Patterson the only recognised senior option otherwise.
Gary is editor for ReadEverton. He has many years experience of sports writing behind him after deciding (belatedly) that the world of accountancy wasn't for him. His work has been featured on (among many others) BBC Sport and The Metro. He has written on many sports, but considers himself an expert in football and F1. When not writing and editing he likes to go to the cinema and sip a lovely cold pint of Guinness (not always at the same time).
View all articles →
dave.sport is in beta
We are building a new home for independent sports coverage. dave.sport is currently in beta, with new features and publisher tools rolling out as we test what fans need most.
Explore the beta
Iliman Ndiaye to Al-Hilal: Everton transfer tracker
Iliman Ndiaye to Al-Hilal: Everton transfer tracker
Bad news for Everton as Atletico Madrid weigh up Jack Grealish move
Bad news for Everton as Atletico Madrid weigh up Jack Grealish move