Celtic's pre-season preparations are well underway ahead of the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership campaign as they have played three friendlies so far this month.
The Hoops are ramping up their fixtures as they prepare to take on Kilmarnock on the opening day at Parkhead and most recently beat DC United 4-0.
Brendan Rodgers has also been preparing his side off the pitch with deals for Kasper Schmeichel and Vijjami Sinisalo to bolster the goalkeeping department.
The Bhoys have also been linked with a swoop to sign winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha from Royal Antwerp to bolster their option at the top end of the pitch.
Celtic's alternative to Balikwisha
Rodgers, however, could save millions by forgetting about the Belgian wizard and moving on from him by unleashing one of the stars of Celtic's pre-season so far.
Mikey Johnston has caught the eye in recent matches, scoring in the 4-0 win over DC United, and the manager must now use that as fuel to push the Ireland international on to be a key part of his team moving forward.
Instead of splashing the cash on a brand new winger to come in and compete for a spot in the team, the academy graduate could be unearthed as a fantastic option.
He spent the second half of the last season on loan with West Bromwich Albion in the Championship and his form for the Baggies suggests that there is not much between him and Balikwisha.
Why Celtic need to unleash Mikey Johnston
Whilst he still needs to prove himself on a consistent basis in the Premiership, Johnston's pre-season goal suggests that he is on the way to replicating his form in England for Celtic.
In the Championship, Johnston caught the eye with his ability to both score goals and create chances for his teammates, whilst also driving his team up the pitch with his use of the ball.
Balikwisha offers similar qualities at the top end of the pitch and they are both right-footed wingers who typically operate on the left side of the forward line.
Appearances
33
18
Goals
7
7
Assists
5
1
Big chances created
6
4
Key passes per game
1.5
1.2
Dribbles completed per game
0.7
2.2
As you can see in the table above, the Antwerp star scored as many goals as Johnston and only created two more 'big chances' for his teammates in 15 more league appearances.
The Irish wizard's statistics also show that he can drive his team forward more frequently by committing opposition defenders to create space at the top end of the pitch.
During Sky Sports coverage of West Brom's 3-1 play-off loss to Southampton (17/05/24), commentator Gary Weaver claimed that the Hoops loanee had "magic in his boots".
That is also backed up by his fantastic statistics in the Championship for West Brom, as they show that he can score and create in almost equal measure.
Celtic in the hunt to land £6m star who could be Hatate 2.0
The Hoops are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the central midfielder this summer.
ByDan Emery
It is now down to Rodgers to unleash Johnston in a larger role for the Hoops next season to reflect his new-found form, which would then alleviate any need to sign Balikwisha in his position.
