Sometimes the best things are the most obvious and a move for this player would tick every box for Scotland’s champions
Scotland’s Max Johnston(Image: SNS Group)
Celtic are looking at right-back options.
Surely, Max Johnston has to come into their thinking?
Derby County are already at an advanced stage to agree a deal for the Scottish international at just more than £2.5million.
That sort of fee is not going to break the bank.
Surely his availability has to prick home interests?
Derby have tabled an offer and are looking to get a deal done, although a fee has still to be finalised and personal terms with Johnston agreed.
Okay, his wages would be high but surely it is a deal that would make a lot of sense for the champions.
I know Alastair Johnston is the first-choice right back and they have Anthony Ralston as back-up in that position as well.
AJ faces several weeks on the sidelines and long-term, the chances are that over the next season or two he is likely to be sold for big money.
Max Johnston would be more than the perfect long-term replacement and would offer a lot more going forward than Ralston and could also play forward one.
He has already got a winning mentality with Sturm Graz, having won titles and lifted a cup in Austria.
The 21-year-old has also played in the Champions League and in Europe.
Johnston would become an asset with a value that could only go up and he could go again for a bigger fee, which also falls into the Celtic player trading model.
Celtic’s Alistair Johnston is placed on to a stretcher by medical staff after going down injured
Certainly, Brendan Rodgers has shown he can develop players and he could also take Johnston up another level or two.
He also fits the home-grown criteria for Europe and is proven in the Premiership via his spell coming through the ranks at Motherwell.
The move would tick a lot of boxes for Celtic.
He has also again been included in Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Denmark and Belarus.
Okay, it won’t solve Rodgers’ right back issue before Tuesday night’s Champions League clash with Kairat.
Ralston would expect to start but the manager has also tinkered in training with the possibility of playing Arne Engels in there.
Young Colby Donovan’s move to Dundee has also been put on hold because of the right back situation at Celtic.
The one thing is that they will be wanting to make sure that after tomorrow night they will be right-back in the Champions League.
If they are, then a move for Johnston would make even more sense.