THERE are lowball offers and there are downright insults.
If reports are accurate, guess into which category Everton’s bid for Alistair Johnston fits perfectly.
You and I are aware this is the silly season and tales will emerge that would make Hans Christian Andersen envious.
Some, clearly, are the work of pure fantasy conjured up by an individual gifted a vivid imagination. These yarns may even be the work of a sneaky agent, the Mr Ten Per Cent characters who operate in the murky confines of the transfer market.
Having said that, if there is even the scintilla of truth in Davie Moyes’ club rating Celtic’s Canadian World Cup right-back somewhere in the region of £14million, irrespective of add-ons etcetera, then you can only fear for someone’s sanity.
ON THE RUN…Alistair Johnston surges forward in Celtic’s 3-2 win at Motherwell in May.
Is it even worth the time and energy, a text or email or perhaps a good old-fashioned phone call to offer such a trivial sum for an experienced 27-year-old performer who cost £3.75million when he joined the champions from MLS side CF Montreal?
Johnston signed for Celtic in January 2023 after the World Cup Finals in Qatar where the Vancouver-born operator had once again produced strong performances for his country, despite the team struggling in their group and finishing bottom without a win.
Ange Postecoglou rated him a direct replacement for Croatian international No.2 Josip Juranovic, who had become a fans’ favourite after his £2.5million arrival from Legia Warsaw in August 2021.
The Bundesliga beckoned for the defender and Union Berlin were willing to shell out £10million for his services.
Johnston agreed to the switch to Parkhead on December 4, made his debut in the 2-2 draw at Ibrox on January 2 – with Juranovic on the bench at kick-off – and the Croatian international No.2 was on his way to Germany inside three weeks.
Juranovic had built a strong fanbase at Celtic, but, in truth, his absence was rarely noticed and the club had pocketed a fair profit.
ROARING SUCCESS…Josip Juranovic was a big hit with the Celtic fans.
And that brings us today, dear reader. Most certainly, Johnston is on Everton’s radar, but the Parkhead powerbrokers, with cash reserves around the £70million mark, do not need to sell.
A tidy £40million is up for grabs for the victors of the Champions League play-off between the Hoops and LASK with the first leg due in Glasgow a week on Wednesday and the return in Austria six days later.
Everton kick off their Premier League campaign with a home encounter against Crystal Palace three days before the second leg.
If they are serious in their attempts to loosen Celtic’s hold on their player, who still has two years to run on his contract, they will have to offer equally serious money.
Otherwise, they should look elsewhere and stop wasting the time of others who have enough on their plate in this window without fielding derisory offers for a key player.
The jungle drums are beating and Moyes’ club have now been linked with a right-sided defender at Strasbourg.
I hope they get their man – and Johnston will be allowed to focus totally on his performances in European football’s elite competition.
So, the message is fairly straightforward to anyone interested in Johnston – get real or get lost.
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