Johnston injury scare threatens to complicate Everton’s stalled Celtic pursuit
Alistair Johnston is now a major injury doubt for Celtic’s Champions League play-off against LASK Linz, in what could be a fresh complication for Everton’s pursuit of the Canadian right-back.
Johnston was withdrawn at half-time during Celtic’s 5-1 win over Kilmarnock on Sunday after feeling a niggle, with assistant Shaun Maloney describing it as precautionary at the time.
According to the Scottish press, Celtic now understand he could face a spell on the sidelines — a blow for both the player and Martin O’Neill with LASK visiting Parkhead on Wednesday and the return leg in Austria six days later.
It’s an awkward time for it to surface. Johnston had started Celtic’s first two Premiership games of the season amid Everton’s continued interest, having missed much of last season with a serious hamstring problem before returning to help the Hoops win the title and starring for Canada at the World Cup.
Everton’s move for him had already stalled over valuation — Celtic want a fee north of £15m, with Everton’s opening offer of around £12m plus add-ons rejected — and the club have made clear they have no intention of letting him go before the LASK tie is settled, regardless.
Given his recent history with hamstring problems, this is one to watch closely from an Everton perspective — an extended spell out would hand Celtic even less incentive to negotiate, and Moyes even less certainty over fitness before committing any money.
Track every twist in the Johnston saga and the rest of Everton’s business on our live transfer tracker.
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).
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