Mikey Johnston has excelled since joining West Brom this season, proving to be an excellent addition at the club. His time at Celtic had slowed down, prompting a move for more consistent playing time. However, at West Brom, he’s exceeded expectations, becoming a key player in Carlos Corberan’s squad as they strive for a playoff spot. With seven goals and one assist in 14 Championship appearances, Johnston has been crucial in maintaining West Brom’s fifth-place position. Despite playing only a fraction of the games, he’s one of the team’s top scorers. His ability to carry the ball and complete take-ons also adds an exciting dimension to West Brom’s play.
| Mikey Johnston’s West Brom stats 2023/24 – per Fbref.com | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Stat | Per 90 | ||
| Passes attempted | 36.3 | ||
| Pass completion (%) | 75.6 | ||
| Progressive passes | 3.37 | ||
| Progressive carries | 4.49 | ||
| Successful take-ons | 2.76 | ||
| Touches in the opposition area | 2.45 | ||
| Preogressive passes received | 7.45 | ||
A big summer ahead for West Brom
What makes Johnston’s arrival so impactful for West Brom is that the club didn’t have a lot of room to maneuver in the January window.
The club’s financial situation was at a real low point prior to Shilen Patel’s arrival as the new owner earlier this year.
The Midlands outfit could only afford a loan move until the end of the campaign, having struggled to find worthwhile new signings in the summer market as well.
That means this could be a very big upcoming transfer market for Albion, as it will be the new ownership’s first chance to invest in the first team squad.
Patel will be keen to show to fans he’s ready to build an exciting project for the club, and nothing will do that better than bringing in some fresh faces.
Johnston will surely be the first name on the list of potential signings in the summer, as his impact has been felt so strongly in such a short space of time.
It remains unclear what kind of figure Celtic would look for in a potential permanent deal for the 24-year-old.
But his performances in recent weeks could only have driven up that figure, as he has cemented his place in the starting lineup of Corberan’s team.
Whatever the figure, Patel should be keen to do everything he can to get a deal over the line in order to show fans his desire to see the club succeed.
Johnston could have promotion impact
West Brom will be fighting for promotion to the Premier League in the coming weeks, with a place in the play-offs looking assured.
This will be a huge test for Corberan’s side, and a perfect chance for Johnston to shine on a bigger stage.
If he can play a role in helping the club gain promotion to the top flight, then the argument will be even stronger that a permanent deal must be sought.
With how well the team has performed this second half of the season, the Baggies should be confident of taking on anyone in the play-off fight.
The top four may be slightly out of reach over the course of 40-odd games, but in a one or two-leg game, Corberan’s side can take on anybody in the division.
Having Johnston in their team will only strengthen their chances of a place in the top flight, and that alone makes it obvious a permanent deal in the summer would be great business for Albion.
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