**Everton right-back target Alistair Johnston has suffered a major injury blow.**
Johnston emerged as a serious option for David Moyes’ side to fill the void in their defence and saw talks opened with Celtic over a potential transfer deal.
However [the Blues’ interest in the Canada international cooled](https://www.clickliverpool.com/sport/everton-fc/67052-everton-fail-to-strike-right-back-transfer-deal/) as the Scottish champions sought a £15 million fee to secure his release from Parkhead.
Celtic boss Martin O’Neill cautioned Johnston’s suitors that he would prefer to retain the player until after their Champions League qualifier had concluded.
But Everton’s pursuit of the 27-year-old is now all but over after it emerged that he is currently facing a spell of up to six weeks on the sidelines.
Johnston was forced to leave the pitch during his team’s rout over Kilmarnock which assistant manager Shaun Maloney insisted was simply a ‘niggle’.
However the defender’s lay-off period is now expected to rule him out until after the extended international break from late September to early October.
It is the latest setback in Johnston’s Celtic career after he missed 57 matches in all competitions last season as a result of various hamstring injuries.